


Mirror in the Sky

by pearlcadillac



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: 1980s, AU, Alternate Universe - 1980s, Cheryl Blossom Needs a Hug, Endgame Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz, Eventual Smut, F/F, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Lesbian Cheryl Blossom, Miami, Slow Burn, Violence, You Have Been Warned, classic rock too, lots of neon, yacht rock everywhere
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2019-10-12 01:45:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 38,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17458250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pearlcadillac/pseuds/pearlcadillac
Summary: It's 1983, and Cheryl Blossom has fled Riverdale to become the arm candy of Miami's most notorious cocaine kingpin. After a unique set of circumstances, Toni Topaz finds herself living a double life as both Cheryl's bodyguard and undercover FBI agent. What will happen when Cheryl and Toni realize that their connection is both irresistible and dangerous?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all
> 
> I've basically had this idea in my head for a while and have been feeling particularly inspired lately since Riverdale has been feeding us so much <3 Choni
> 
> Enjoy and pls feel free to comment :)

The sounds of tropical birds of paradise caused Cheryl to stir from her slumber. As she slowly opened her eyes, she peered at the clock placed on her bedside table.

 

6:00 a.m.

 

She sighed, somewhat remiss that despite the beautiful sounds being emitted from those even more beautiful birds, she would not be falling back asleep. She quietly began to stand up from the bed, praying that the body which lay beside her would remain undisturbed. Not that she cared about whether or not he got his beauty rest, but rather that any moment away from him was a reprieve for Cheryl. Tiptoeing out of the room, she descended the grand marble staircase. Her home, well, his home actually, was one of the most sought after estates in all of South Florida. True to its Star Island locale, the mansion, with ten rooms, eight bathrooms, a pool, and various cabanas, was the epitome of 1980s Miami. Gorgeous yet gaudy, and fully furnished with the most exquisite textiles and gold trimming. Cheryl stepped out onto the veranda which overlooked the intercoastal between South Beach and the mainland. She made her way to the docks, where she often went to sit and ponder. Pulling out a cigarette from her velvet cigarette holder, she flicked her gold Zippo lighter and inhaled deeply.

 

How did she even get here? Part of her was thankful that she met Nicolas at Carlos’ club a year ago. She admitted to herself often that without him she would likely still be serving cocktails to sleazy old men. Or worse, on the arm of one of them. Nicolas was...tolerable. He was ten years older than her at 29 and mostly left her to her own devices absent the occasional business meeting or night out on the town. What's more, rarely did he ask her for anything, including sex. Not because he was a prude, but because he was having plenty of fun with other women, and Cheryl was more than alright with that. Her role in his life was merely one of a trophy. As a matter of fact, this was the first time they had shared a bed in months as Nic rarely slept at home. When he was home, he mainly flaunted her in front of potential Colombian business partners and used her beauty to impress those around him.

 

As Cheryl sat on the edge of the dock and peered across the water, she thought back on her life. Having grown up in Riverdale as the daughter of the town’s founding family, the Blossoms, she never wanted for much materially. However, emotionally she always desperately yearned for more. After murdering her twin brother, J.J., in cold blood, her father hung himself after it was revealed that not only was he the culprit in J.J.’s untimely and violent death, but he was using their prestigious maple syrup business as a means for trafficking narcotics.

 

Cheryl released the breath she hadn't realized she was holding, slightly astounded that fate had placed her in the midst of another drug ring. After the death of her brother and father, Cheryl’s home life seemed to worsen. Her mother, Penelope, was, and likely still is, the most soulless individual she’s ever come across. Years of abuse, emotional and physical, took a toll on Cheryl and she often considered self-harm during her teenage years. That is until she met Heather. A transfer student from Greendale, Heather quickly became the center of Cheryl’s universe. The moment they met at Riverdale High, they connected. What began as a mere friendship quickly grew into more, and Cheryl was both frightened and elated to discover that Heather made her feel things she had always tried to feel with boys. Unfortunately, meeting Heather was the beginning of the end for Cheryl’s life as she knew it.

During one of their routine weekend sleepovers, Penelope barged into Cheryl’s room at the Blossom estate, Thornhill, to discover Cheryl and Heather sharing the same bed.  Being the viper that she is, Penelope immediately coerced Heather and her family into leaving the Riverdale area and never contacting any of the Blossoms again. Cheryl was heartbroken, to say the least, but Penelope’s wrath towards Cheryl’s “deviance,” as she venomously characterized her natural impulses, did not end with Heather. Against her will, Penelope admitted Cheryl to the Sisters of Quiet Mercy. The Sisters parade themselves as a holier than thou institution centered around the Lord’s teaching of acceptance and faith; however, this could not be farther from the truth. Cheryl quickly realized that her mother’s reasoning for sending her to the Sisters was to rid her of her deviance. She spent two agonizing weeks at the Sisters' hands, receiving electroshock therapy, engaging in strenuous manual labor, and watching propaganda-esque films which preached about “living without sin” in “God’s image.” By the end of her second week, Cheryl truly believed that she would not survive another day with the Sisters. She was in the process of contemplating her demise when Veronica Lodge, of all people, burst through the doors of the movie room.

 

_“Cheryl?! Cheryl! Oh my God, you’re here! Cheryl, get up come on! We have to go now before the nuns find us!”_

_“How d- did you know I-I was here?” Cheryl stuttered out as her brain very slowly caught up to what was transpiring before her. Veronica huffed, exasperated, “Nana Rose called me while I was at school and told me! Now come on! We don’t have much time! Kevin is waiting for us!”_

_Perhaps it was Veronica’s urgent tone or the adrenaline, but Cheryl’s brain and body suddenly kicked into high gear, and she found herself sprinting through the tunnels beneath the Sisters while being pursued by angry nuns and guards. Luckily, Veronica and Cheryl were able to reach the tunnel's exit which led out to Fox Forest. Kevin hastily secured the tunnel door before any of their pursuers were able to capture them, and they ran to Kevin’s truck. Peeling out onto the main highway, Cheryl could barely believe what had just occurred._

_Cheryl grabbed Veronica and Kevin’s hand and began weeping. “Veronica...Kevin. What you’ve done for me…I-I can never fully express my gratitude towards both of you. Had you not come to my rescue at that precise moment, I...don't believe I would have lasted through the night.” Cheryl choked on a sob and Veronica released a shaky breath as she watched Cheryl with glassy eyes._

_“Cheryl, I am so sorry. Please, if there’s anything we can do to help, just say the word.”_

_Kevin vehemently nodded his head in agreement. “Yeah, Cheryl. Seriously, if there’s anything you need let us know. I know guys who have barely survived the Sisters and what you’ve gone through is no joke. I need you to know that we’re here for you, no matter what.”_

 

_Silent tears streamed down Cheryl’s cheeks as she nodded her head solemnly._

 

Raising her cigarette to her bare lips, Cheryl inhaled the toxic fumes.  At the time of her rescue, she had no idea what she needed or wanted. Luckily, her future was decided for her thanks to, once again, Veronica Lodge.

 

_“Thank you for allowing me to stay at the Pembrooke, V. Are you certain your parents will not return tonight?”_

_Veronica looked at Cheryl reassuringly while sitting next to her on the couch. “One hundred percent. Daddy has whisked mommy away on one of their grandiose excursions to the South of France. Now here, drink up. Hot chocolate always makes me feel better.”_

_Cheryl sighed deeply, accepting the mug from Veronica. She felt lost in her thoughts as she watched the flames dance within the Lodge’s fireplace. She turned her head to glance at Veronica as she heard the raven-haired girl clear her throat._

_“Look, I know today has been a lot, and I don’t want to overwhelm you…but I think you need to leave Riverdale.”_

_Cheryl’s grip on her hot chocolate tightened. Yes, she had contemplated leaving Riverdale for the better part of her life. Not because she didn’t love its beautiful, bucolic scenery, but because her family’s influence within the town ran so deep that she knew she would never be able to fully live her truth there - that is, until Penelope was finally out of the picture. It was at this moment that Cheryl realized she had no choice but to leave Riverdale behind._

_“V…I am…you're right.” Veronica looked as if she had just seen a ghost, clearly not expecting Cheryl to agree with her without an argument._

_“Much to my heartache, I cannot imagine a scenario in which I return to my former life as if what happened between Heather, myself, and my mother never occurred. The second that ghoulish woman catches wind that I escaped the Sisters, she will find me - for that I am certain - and I fear she will subject me to pain which far surpasses the horrors I endured with the Sisters”_

_Cheryl sniffled, tears forming quickly. “I just….I don’t know, Ronnie. I have nothing except for J.J.’s Impala. Even if I were to return to Thornhill, retrieve it, and leave Riverdale, I have no funds. Nothing to support myself with. Nana Rose may be able to assist me, but I cannot place that burden on her.”_

 

_Veronica’s demeanor suddenly changed, worry and sympathy replaced with determination._

_“Cheryl, is your mom going to be home tonight?”_

_“Um,  I don’t know. What day is it?”_

_“Thursday,” Veronica replied quickly._

_“Ugh, mommy dearest will be frequenting the Copacabana in New York City with one of her disgusting, geriatric ‘clients’.”_

 

_“Perfect!” exclaimed Veronica. “Here’s what’s gonna happen, and Cheryl, please just hear me out. I am going to give you $2,000 from Daddy’s safe - don’t worry; I’ll just tell him I needed some retail therapy. Then we’re going to go to Thornhill, pack up your stuff, and you’re going to drive to Miami!” Cheryl was about to interrupt with a comment about how absolutely insane this plan was, but Veronica beat her to it._

_“Ah! Before you tell me how much of a sociopathic goon I am or some other witty remark from your arsenal of insults, please listen. I have a very close family friend down there named Carlos Sanchez. He’s a little older than us, but he owns a nightclub in Coconut Grove called “The Mutiny,” and he will totally help you because he still owes me big time - don’t ask. Anyways, he’ll definitely let you work at the nightclub. Think about it, Cheryl. This is perfect. You’ll be in beautiful sunny South Florida, away from this town and your terrible mother. And if at some point you feel prepared to return to Riverdale, I’ll be here for you, Cheryl. See? Simple!”_

 

Cheryl giggled to herself. Oh, Veronica Lodge. Shaking her head, Cheryl admitted that Veronica was partially right. The plan did turn out to be quite simple.

 

_Later that night they returned to Thornhill as planned and Cheryl was able to fill two River Vixens duffel bags with her belongings. After placing the bags in the backseat of her '61 Impala and hiding Veronica’s donation in her red leather jacket, she bid farewell to her friend and savior. Their goodbyes were short and filled with promises to keep each other abreast of any developments in their respective cities. Veronica left Thornhill first, and Cheryl was about to turn her key in the ignition when quite the idea struck her. Exiting her Impala, she made her way to the garage door. Thanking whatever forces were out there, she opened the unlocked door and rummaged through the dark garage. After a few minutes, she was prepared to give up when she found exactly what she was searching for._

_Gallons of gasoline._

 

_Cheryl picked up a gallon. She quickly ran inside Thornhill and doused the living room’s Persian rug in gasoline. Lighting the candelabrum, because Cheryl was nothing if not theatrical, she tossed the lit candles onto the rug and watched in awe as flames engulfed her former home. She sprinted to her convertible, and the twin turbo V8 engine roared as she peeled away from the orange glow of Thornhill._

 

At this point Cheryl was laughing loudly, swinging her legs over the dock’s edge reminiscing on how completely mad and exhilarating that experience was. Her laughter quieted down and she closed her eyes as she began to think about what happened next.

 

_“Hello, miss. Welcome to the Greendale Retirement Community. How can I help you?”_

_“I am here to visit Rose Blossom. I’m her granddaughter.”_

_“Alright, please sign in. Do you know her room number?”_

 

_“Yes, thank you.” Cheryl scurried down the hallway, praying that the receptionist didn't notice she signed her name as “Cherry Bomb.”_

 

_Cheryl reached Nana Rose's room and knocked gently while slowly opening the door. “Nana Rose? It’s me, Cheryl.”_

_Nana Rose, who was seated in the love chair in the corner of the room, quickly looked away from her Bob Ross program. “Oh, Cheryl dear! Come, come! My goodness, I’ve been so worried about you. Did the Lodge heiress heed my message?”_

_Cheryl ran to Nana Rose and hugged her tightly. “Oh, Nana. Indeed, Veronica rescued me from those treacherous Sisters. Thank you so much, Nana. Without you, no one would’ve known where to find me.”_

_Pulling back, Cheryl studied Nana Rose quizzically. “Nana. How did you know I was there?”_

_Nana Rose smirked slyly. “Ah, my dearest girl. Never underestimate the clairvoyance of a Blossom woman. After hearing of your lovely Heather’s hasty departure from town, I just knew something was amiss. Especially because of how happy you seemed whenever you spoke to me about her. I had an inkling your terrible mother had a hand in whatever had torn you two apart”_

_Cheryl exhaled shakily. “Nana, I love you. Thank you for everything. Unfortunately, Nana dearest, this must be our final goodbye, for now. Please understand, I don’t want to leave you and Riverdale behind, but I simply cannot live here while my mother has control over my life. I am headed south and hope to return to Riverdale in the near future. But until then, please always remember that je t’aime, Nana Rose.”_

 

_Cheryl and Nana Rose embraced tightly. “Oh, my dearest. I trust you. Now, please know that no matter what, I am with you in spirit. And I will be here waiting for you when you return. You are a magnificent young woman, Cheryl, and I am certain that wherever you’re going, you will find what you have been searching for your entire life.”_

_Cheryl, much to her surprise, still had tears left. She was openly weeping. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Nana. Farewell.” And with that, Cheryl placed a lingering cherry red kiss on Nana Rose’s forehead._

 

“Ms. Blossom?”

 

Cheryl hastily wiped away her tears as she heard the sound of her bodyguard’s voice. “What is it, Ricky?”

 

“Apologies, señorita. El patrón has asked that you join him for breakfast.”

 

“I’ll be right there. Going forward, however, please refrain from disturbing me when I am on the docks, even if Nic demands that you do so.”

 

“Lo siento.”

 

Cheryl brushed past her bodyguard without a second glance. As she re-entered the mansion, Cheryl rolled her eyes upon hearing Toto’s “Africa” playing loudly from upstairs.

 

“Ugh, can’t he give that fucking song a rest.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a longish Chapter 2. Lots happens, and I advise you heed the archive warnings.
> 
> Also, for those of you wondering:
> 
> This is where Nic and Cheryl live (just replace that modern kitchen with 80s excellence) https://miami.curbed.com/2017/12/21/16808634/miami-beach-star-island-mansion-auction 
> 
> Toni's boat moored at Miamarina (same as the boat used in Miami Vice Season 1) https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/miamivice/images/e/ec/Vitus.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20111011073815
> 
> Toni's motorcycle http://bikes-media2.bestcarmag.com/sites/default/files/harley-davidson/xls-1000-roadster/1980/1980-harley-davidson-xls-1000-roadster-93614-461.jpg

It was the heat that awoke Toni. Miami was always hot, but July in Miami was another level. Even worse, July in Miami in her un-airconditioned Cabo Rico 38 sailboat, which she affectionately named “Callisto,” was just dreadful.

 

“I really need to get a window unit for this thing.” Toni grumbled as she felt sweat drip down her toned stomach.

 

 _Wait, why am I naked?_ Toni thought to herself. She felt a slight rustling beside her and turned her head to be met with the sight of a bare back covered by tangled blonde hair.

 

“Shit. Not again.”

 

Toni began to rise out of bed slowly, allowing the white twin sheet to fall from her naked body. She tiptoed to the mirror and groaned internally. Her mascara was smudged around her eyes and her sweaty pink hair was matted to her forehead. Not to mention, she could make out the faint purple bruises forming around her chest and neck.

 

_Why the hell do I do this to myself?_

 

She quietly shuffled around the cramped space of Callisto’s living quarters, throwing on a pair of ripped black jean shorts and a white button-down shirt. As she ascended the stairs to the boat’s deck, she grabbed her pack of Marlboro Red cigarettes and haphazardly rolled her shirt sleeves up her forearms.

 

Judging by the sun’s position in the sky, Toni wagered it was about 7:00a.m.  She made her way towards the boat’s starboard side and sat down, allowing her feet to dangle over the edge almost touching the water. Opening her cigarette pack, she pulled one out alongside her red Zippo lighter, flicking it to life and inhaling the smoke deeply. As she exhaled, she pinched the bridge of her nose.

 

“Every-fucking-time.”

 

_“Like what you see, Topaz?”_

 

_“Fuck off, Juliet.” Toni muttered halfheartedly. Her ability to resist Juliet always weakened the more she drank, and at this point she was already four whiskey shots deep._

 

_“Oh, c’mon baby. I saw you staring while I was on stage.”_

 

Toni had to admit, the girl was intuitive. It was almost like clockwork. After an exceptionally stressful day, Toni would head to the Vanilla Unicorn, a remote strip joint on the edge of Hialeah. She would down whiskey shots immediately upon arrival and chase them with a few Budweisers. Eventually she would stumble towards an open seat near the stage. Everything from there on out would quickly become hazy, but she always somewhat remembered getting lost in Juliet’s pink lingerie and long, blond locks as she swayed her hips around the pole to some Whitesnake song Toni could never remember for the life of her. At some point Juliet would see Toni, notice the way she was leering at her with droopy eyes, and make her way towards the Agent after the song ended.

 

_“Toni, baby, you look so tense. Let me take the edge off for you.” Juliet purred into Toni’s ear. Toni, being the sucker that she is, grabbed Juliet by the waist and stood as the room spun._

 

_“Fffffine. Let’s get out of here. The bike’s out back.” Toni slurred._

 

The rest of the night is always a blur with nothing more than flashes of blonde hair between her legs and the feel of Juliet’s writhing body beneath her as long nails created angry red marks down Toni’s back. Toni wished she could say that last night was different from the times before, but it really wasn’t. The only difference was that she had a nerve wracking undercover mission tonight and she had used Juliet as a temporary escape from today’s reality.  

 

Toni stubbed her cigarette out in the ashtray next to her. She rubbed her eyes with the heels of her palms. _Why am I so nervous?_ Releasing an exasperated sigh, she peered across the calm waters of Miamarina.

 

“C’mon, Toni. You’ve been working towards this your entire life. You’ve got it.” She whispered to herself.

 

It was true. Having grown up on the South Side of Riverdale, she had seen the violence and tragedy that drugs could cause. She had even engaged in her fair share of crime after officially joining the notorious South Side Serpents gang at the age of 13. Despite her various illegal activities throughout her teen years, Toni always desired more for her life. Given that her parents passed away when she was only two years old in a tragic car accident, the only family she had growing up was her grandfather, Thomas Topaz, who was a descendent of the Uktena tribe which formed the Serpents during Riverdale’s founding. Other than her grandfather, Toni had her best friends, Sweet Pea and Fangs. It was them who purchased Toni her first real camera, a Nikon FM. Toni was in disbelief, but Fangs simply shrugged. _“It’s whatever, Tiny. We had some tips leftover from extra shifts at the Wyrm. Now c’mon, try and get our good side.”_

 

Toni smiled as she shook her head. “Guess I should get going then.”  

 

Toni descended the stairs into Callisto’s living quarters and changed into a black t-shirt, which she tucked into dark ripped jeans. Once she finished putting on her black leather boots, she grabbed her leather Serpent jacket and shrugged it on.

 

“Jules? Jules, can you hear me?” Toni whispered as she hovered near Juliet’s sleeping body.

 

“Yeah yeah, I’ll lock up when I leave.” Juliet mumbled into the pillow. “I’ll see you later, and good luck. I don’t know what has you so distracted but it must be important.”

 

Toni sighed and pursed her lips. “Thanks.”

 

Juliet briefly lifted her head to look at Toni. “Be safe, kid.”

 

Toni hopped off Callisto and made her way down the dock towards the Miamarina parking lot where her 1980 Harley-Davidson XLS 1000 Roadster was parked. She securely fastened her black matte helmet and smirked as the Harley roared to life after one good kickstart.

 

As she made her way towards her apartment in Little Havana, weaving in and out of the rush hour traffic of downtown Miami, Toni became immersed in her thoughts. After barely graduating from South Side High, which was a sham of a school, she was accepted to the City University of New York on a photography scholarship. Unlike Toni, school was never Sweet Pea’s forte, so he enlisted in the Army while Fangs opted to remain in the South Side working as a mechanic. All three of them agreed that no matter where life would take them, they would come back together in several years and really live up their twenties in the same city.

 

After graduating from college with a degree in psychology, Toni was able to move to Washington D.C. with the four-years’ worth of money she had saved while bartending in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. In D.C., she applied and was admitted to the Masters of Justice, Law, and Criminology program at American University. While there, she interned for two years at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, also known as the FBI. Much to her delight she was hired as a Special Agent by the Bureau upon completion of her Masters degree.

 

While Toni was very pleased with the path she’d chosen and greatly enjoyed being an FBI Agent, the D.C./Virginia area simply wasn’t her cup of tea. She longed to be in Miami with Sweet Pea and Fangs. Sweet Pea chose Miami for its warm weather and “hot girls” and had moved there shortly after being honorably discharged from the Army. It only took a month for Fangs to follow him. They both had a good thing going in the magic city, Fangs with his mechanic gigs and Sweets in his new role as Police Officer with the Miami-Dade Police Department.

 

As fate would have it, Toni finally got her big break in 1982, when the FBI was granted concurrent jurisdiction with the Drug Enforcement Agency in enforcing the federal drug laws. As such, the Bureau was accepting Agents who would transfer to Miami and work undercover in taking down the city’s most nefarious kingpins. Perhaps it was her persistence, but her boss in D.C. finally gave her the green light and she drove down to Miami on her Harley with nothing but a backpack and the clothes on her back.

 

So, here she was. After many attempts to infiltrate the inner circle of Miami’s slimiest narco, Nicolas St. Clair, with no luck, the Bureau received intel that a new and less well known trafficker named Juanito from Cali, Colombia was looking to do business with Nicolas. One night at a nondescript club in South Beach, Toni met up with Juanito and was able to convince him to let her work for him. He had said something about her having grit and how he was impressed by her gang experience (which was factual). As fate would have it, her first job with her new boss was to meet none other than Nicolas St. Clair at the Port of Miami tonight. The Bureau was elated with Toni’s clever maneuvering into Juanito’s crew, but decided that they would allow tonight’s meeting to go undisturbed since they didn’t have enough dirt on Nicolas to pin him down just yet, and that’s where Toni came in. 26 year old Special Agents don’t usually get the chance to go undercover to take down extremely dangerous drug lords, but alas that’s exactly what was happening. It was flattering that the Bureau trusted her with this, but she was also scared shitless. She didn’t know what would go down tonight, but if the ever-present sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach was anything to go off of, she knew the meeting wouldn’t go as planned.

 

Toni slowed her bike to a stop in the driveway of the small house she shared with Sweet Pea and Fangs. Kicking down the kickstand, she stood up and made her way up the front steps of the porch. She unlocked the door and when she opened it she was met with the very loud sound of “Hold on Loosely” by 38 Special playing from the stereo in the living room.  

 

“Hello! You guys home?!” she yelled as she shut the door and secured the deadbolt in place. One could never be too cautious.

 

She peeled her leather jacket off of her sweaty body and waited. No response. She gingerly placed the jacket on top of the sofa and pulled her switchblade out of it. She tiptoed through the living room and leaned against the wall as she peered into the kitchen. Empty.

 

She was about to make her way towards the bedrooms when she suddenly felt a large figure grab her around the waist from behind, which caused her to drop the switchblade she was holding. Without thinking, she forcefully stomped her boot on the person’s foot. They yelped in pain and Toni took that moment to elbow her assailant in the stomach. The person grunted and stumbled backwards, releasing Toni. She spun around quickly and in the flash of an eye had picked up the switchblade and held it against the intruder’s throat, ready to slice when-

 

“SWEETS?! What the fuck?!?!” Toni yelled, releasing Sweet Pea as he fell to the ground coughing.

 

“J-Jesus Christ, T-Tiny. On…edge…are…we?”  he sputtered out between gasps of air.

 

“Dude! I could have killed you!” Toni huffed while placing her knife down on the coffee table and sitting on the sofa with her head between her hands.

 

Sweet Pea slowly rose from the floor and limped towards Toni, plopping down on the sofa cushion next to her’s.

 

“I’m sorry, Tiny, seriously. I didn’t think you were going to react so crazy. Are you alright?” Sweet Pea asked with genuine concern lacing his voice as he winced from the pain in his abdomen.

 

Toni sighed. “Yeah, I’m fine for the most part…just a little nervous for tonight…” She glanced in Sweet Pea’s direction and from her periphery she could see him smirking.

 

“T, you have got this. Literally no one in the agency, or any agency for that matter, has been so close to coming face-to-face with that scumbag St. Clair. The FBI wouldn’t have picked you to lead the charge in taking him down if they didn’t believe you could do it. Not only are you weirdly strong for your size, as you just demonstrated, but you’re smart, disarming, and crooks trust you for some reason.” Sweet Pea stated confidently, never breaking eye contact.

 

A wistful smile graced Toni’s lips as she let her body relax into the sofa. “Thanks, Sweets. I appreciate the mini pep talk. But in the future, let’s not sneak up on your very dangerous and highly skilled roommate. Especially when she’s holding a weapon.”

 

“Ma’am, yes, ma’am.” Sweet Pea barked while giving her a two-finger salute.

 

Toni giggled and rolled her eyes. “Anyways, where’s Fangs at?”

 

“He’s grocery shopping but told me to tell you good luck tonight.”

 

Toni quirked a perfectly shaped eyebrow. “Um, okay how did you get Fangs Fogarty to go grocery shopping?”

 

Sweet Pea smirked. “He lost a bet.”

 

“I don’t even wanna know,” Toni muttered as she stood up from the sofa. “I have to start getting ready for tonight. I’m supposed to pick up my partner from a top secret location, a.k.a. dingy alleyway, at 8:00 p.m. Will you be around in 15 minutes to help me fasten the bulletproof vest?”

 

“Sure thing, Tiny. Who’s your partner, again? Jugegg or something?”

 

“Jughead is what he calls himself. I don’t know if he’s any good, seems kind of like a weirdo to me. Regardless, the Bureau thought it would be best if someone tagged along with me in case shit really goes south then maybe he’ll survive to tell the tale of my expiration. I basically had to beg Juanito to let him join the crew.”

 

Sweet Pea huffed. “Yeah, well, tell Jugfuck that if anything happens to you, I’m gonna turn him into a new pair of boots.”

 

Toni laughed out loud and slapped Sweet Pea on the chest affectionately as she made her towards her bedroom. “Will do.”

 

* * *

 

Cheryl readjusted her dress as she watched the city lights pass by from the window of Nic’s Rolls-Royce limousine.

 

“I must say, tesoro, not even Janice Dickinson looked half as good as you do in that dress.” Nic stated while raising his champagne glass towards Cheryl.  

 

She was wearing the latest Versace from the Spring line. It was red and matched her hair, which was curled and pinned to the side perfectly, and fiery lipstick.

 

Cheryl smiled politely in Nic’s direction. “Merci beaucoup, Nicolas.”

 

The limousine came to a slow stop in front of the Mutiny. Cheryl waited for Nic to exit the car first as he always did before taking her hand and helping her out of the limo. It was all just for show, as Nic used any excuse he could find to flaunt Cheryl in front of his friends and enemies. However, this time Nic did not move.

 

Nic chugged his champagne before speaking. “I’m dropping you off and will return shortly. I hope you don’t mind…” _As if I have a choice,_ thought Cheryl. “…But Ricky and I have some business to attend to. Yes, I’m borrowing your bodyguard; however, you’ll be alright without him. Carlos knows better than to let anything happen to you.” Nic chuckled to himself. “Hell, this club might be the safest place for you in all of Miami.”

 

Cheryl was barely listening. _When is he going to go on another business trip? He’s been home for far too long._

 

“Cheryl.” Nick said forcefully, breaking her out of her thoughts.

 

“Fair enough. Where Ricky goes or what you two do together is of no moment to me, Nic. Toodles.” Cheryl leaned over and gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, making sure not to leave any lipstick on him, before exiting the limo and strutting through the doors of the Mutiny.

 

* * *

 

Toni was fucking sweating. Not only was she wearing a bulletproof vest, she had on a black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, and black cargo pants tucked into black leather boots. Oh, not to mention that she was sporting three different guns - one tucked into the the rear waistband of her pants and two hanging from the brown holsters secured around her shoulders.

 

She sighed in relief as the breeze from the water cooled her overheated neck. Despite her hair being pulled back into a ponytail, she couldn’t catch a break from the July humidity.

 

They were all there at the Port of Miami waiting for Nicolas St. Clair to arrive. Juanito, four guys she hadn’t met before, Jughead, and herself. Juanito looked nervous and excited as he stood at the head of the group. He was eager at the thought of working with Nicolas, as the kingpin basically controlled South Florida. Not one ounce of cocaine came into Miami without Nicolas’ knowledge and blessing. If Nicolas agreed to allow Juanito’s product to come through Nicolas’ elaborate transportation and distribution network, Juanito would be a very rich man. Toni shook her head though, knowing this is not what would be happening. If she were Nicolas, she would see Juanito as nothing more than an inconvenience, or competition at best. The kingpin truly had nothing to gain from going into business with Juanito as his main supplier was Pablo fucking Escobar himself.

 

Toni exhaled deeply. _You just have to survive tonight, Topaz._

 

She glanced to her right and saw Jughead swallow thickly. He looked nervous, and she couldn’t blame him. Jughead felt Toni’s eyes on him and looked in her direction. Toni gave him a reassuring nod and Jughead’s demeanor seemed to relax - that is, until headlights appeared.

 

At the sight, Toni discreetly grabbed the gold Virgin Mary pendant  hanging from the gold chain around her sweaty neck and said a quick prayer.

 

Five armored SUVs rolled up and Toni could make out one armored Rolls-Royce limousine behind them. The cars came to a stop in a V-formation with the limo in the very back about 50 yards away from where Juanito’s crew was, effectively trapping Toni and the guys between the shipping containers on either side of them and the ocean behind them.

 

Out of the corner of her eye, Toni caught some movement to her left as one of the SUV drivers opened his door. Everything from that moment on seemed to happen in slow motion. Toni, recognized by instinct, or perhaps pure luck, what was about to go down and launched her body at Jughead, effectively slamming him to the ground behind several wooden crates.

 

They had barely hit the cement before the deafening sound of gunfire surrounded them. Toni could feel the air from various bullets whizzing past the crates and see splinters of wood flying off the crates from the impact of the bullets. Toni thanked Mary, Peter, Paul, whoever the fuck else for whatever was inside the crates for being so thick, or else her and Jughead would have been done for.

 

“Jug, don’t fucking move! Stay the fuck down!” Toni whispered harshly. Jughead was whiter than a ghost and simply nodded his head while he stared at her with wide eyes.

 

As the adrenaline pumped through Toni’s veins, she grabbed both of her pistols out of their holsters and crouched behind the crates preparing herself to attack.

 

_3…2…1…Get it, Topaz._

 

She sprung up from behind the crates and within a matter of seconds gracefully shot one, two, three, four men - never missing once. She quickly retreated and crouched down behind the crates to avoid any oncoming fire.

 

“Take that you sons of bitches.” Toni breathed as she gasped for air.

 

Toni waited for the onslaught of bullets, but they never came. Everything was dead silent. Her and Jughead shared a perplexed glance. Jughead spoke first. “What is happ-“

 

“Come out now with your hands in the air or my men will kill you. Despite your impressive marksmanship, you are still outnumbered five to one.”

 

A shiver ran up Toni’s spine as she heard the voice call out. A voice that Toni could only assume belonged to Nicolas St. Clair.

 

Toni turned to Jughead. “Stay here. Don’t show yourself no matter what happens, got it? I don’t think they know you’re here.”

 

“Are you insane?! What if-“

 

“Shut up!” Toni interrupted and grabbed Jughead by the collar of his shirt. “Just do as I say and we won’t die tonight.” Again, all Jughead could muster was a feeble nod of his head.

 

Toni steeled herself and took a deep breath before responding to Nicolas’ demand. “Alright!” she yelled out. “I am coming out!”

 

Toni slowly stood up on shaky legs with both pistols in the air. Ten yards away from her stood Nicolas St. Clair in a pressed white on white suit with an expensive gold Cuban link chain, brown snakeskin loafers, and a gold Rolex watch. Surrounding him were five heavily armed men who each had a gun pointed in Toni’s direction.

 

Nicolas lit a cigar and puffed on it a few times before addressing Toni. “Put the pistols down on the ground and come forward. Oh, and don’t forget the pistol which is undoubtedly hidden in your waistband.”

 

Toni did as she was told, slowly, and approached Nicolas, stopping a few feet away from him. Nicolas studied her face for thirty seconds with an expression Toni could not read.

 

“Looks like you’re the last woman standing.”

 

Toni glanced around and noticed Juanito and his men bloodied and lifeless on the ground. She inhaled, bracing herself. The next five minutes would be critically important to her survival. She knew that if Nicolas saw her as an asset, rather than a threat or simply disposable, she wouldn’t die tonight.

 

Toni turned her head towards Nicolas and made eye contact with him. “Honestly, I can’t say I’m surprised.”

 

Nicolas crossed his arms over his chest as he raised the cigar to his lips. He studied Toni for ten more seconds with an expressionless look on his face before speaking. “Hm. Whatever do you mean?”

 

Toni chose her next words very carefully. “Well, to be blunt, this man was an imbecile for thinking he could do business with you, Mr. St. Clair.”

 

If Nicolas was surprised by the fact Toni knew who he was or her boldness, he didn’t show it. Toni continued.

 

“First and foremost, you are el jefe of South Florida. Why would a man of your stature work with a lowly Colombian newcomer? You had nothing to gain from this partnership and as such you did what you needed to do. Not because he was a threat or potential competitor, but because you wanted to send a message to any other idiot who’s thinking about selling product in Miami. You clearly are not open for business, and now everyone will know you have a zero tolerance policy.”

 

Nicolas never broke eye contact with Toni as she spoke. She even noticed that he was smiling with his eyes. “Muy bien. You are very perceptive. Tell me, what is your name?”

 

“Toni Topaz.” It was always agreed that while undercover Toni would use her real name. Even if Nicolas or anyone tried to run a background check on her, they would find arrest records for drug-related charges and firearms - all of which were fabricated by the FBI, of course.

 

“Well, Topaz, let me ask you this.” Nicolas stepped closer to her and was mere inches away from her face. She could smell the cigar on his breath and his expensive Chanel cologne “How do you know so much about me? You sound like a cop.”

 

Toni clenched her jaw, hoping that her eyes did not betray the fear which brewed inside of her. “Before moving to Miami, I was part of a gang in the South Side of Riverdale, New York. Since we were in the business of dealing coke for your colleagues, the Cali Cartel, we often heard stories about the famous Nicolas St. Clair, king of magic city.”

 

Nicolas laughed loudly, turning away from Toni to puff on his cigar and blow smoke rings into the air. “Riverdale, you say?” Nicolas had a wistful look on his face. “That gringo hick town really seems to be following me.” He suddenly turned back towards Toni.

 

“How would you like to work for me? As you can see…” Nicolas gestured around him. “I’m short several men thanks to you. In particular, it appears I am in need of a new bodyguard for mi mujer, Cheryl, and I think you would be a great fit. Perhaps she’ll be kinder to you since you are a woman as well. But full disclosure, she is more venomous than all of Miami’s most dangerous men. Think you can handle it?”

 

Toni released the breath she was holding and nodded confidently. “Yes, absolutely. It would be an honor to call you patrón.”

 

“Very well.” Nicolas patted Toni on the shoulder a little too forcefully. “Vamos!” He clapped his hands and the men began entering the SUVs. “Let’s go to the Mutiny. I am in dire need of a mojito. Oh and Toni, bring one of your guns. It’s best to be prepared for anything, especially since if something happens to Cheryl, it’ll cost you your life.”

 

Toni nodded and turned to pick up her pistol. She quickly retrieved it and placed it between her lower back and the waistband of her pants as she walked towards the SUVs. She didn’t dare look towards the crates concealing Jughead. She knew he had heard everything, and the FBI would soon be privy to this remarkable and unexpected turn of events. Toni sighed as she sat down in the SUV.

 

_What did I just get myself into?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed. Feel free to comment!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I split this update into two chapters (idk, it felt right?)
> 
> regardless, here it is. feel free to leave comments.
> 
> oh, and if you haven't heard the songs in this chapter/fic, listen to them! they're epic.

_ ♪Last night a D.J. saved my life…♪ _

_ ♪Last night a D.J. saved my life from a broken heart…♪ _

 

Cheryl absentmindedly hummed along to the song’s chorus as she sipped her second dirty martini of the night. She was currently perched on a red leather sofa in Nic’s VIP section of the Mutiny. Fiddling with the tiny straw of her cocktail, she nonchalantly looked around the club. 

 

Patrons were scattered about, some in booths drinking too much, some snorting too much, and others dancing on the dancefloor in the middle of the club. She sighed and took a healthy sip of her cocktail. She had been at the Mutiny for about an hour now and she was completely and utterly  **_bored_ ** . The only other people in Nic’s section were some of his associates, who were salivating at the chance to finally speak to him since he had been in Medellin, Colombia for the past month. Cheryl tried to avoid Nic’s business partners at all costs, unless he specifically requested that she join him for small talk, dinner, boating, and so on. Even then, she despised the way they leered at her when they thought no one was looking - which is exactly what they had been doing since she stepped foot inside the nightclub.

 

“Heathens,” Cheryl muttered to herself, finishing the rest of her martini. 

 

_ If Nic were here they wouldn’t dare glance in my direction _ , she thought to herself. Similar to Cheryl, Nic had the innate ability to command any room he was in. In the event he wished to divert people’s attention away from himself, he would say something like, “Look at Cheryl. Isn’t she the jewel of Miami?”  

 

_ Where the hell is he anyways? _

 

She sighed defeatedly and slouched against the back of the sofa as she glanced around the club once more.

 

_ This place needs more attractive, single women. It truly is the least Carlos could do,  _ Cheryl thought as she discretely peered at the various female patrons. 

 

The women who did frequent the club always did so on the arm of men. Men who were involved in all sorts of illicit activity, everything from the drug trade, illegal firearms, alcohol smuggling - you name it. Cheryl would stare at these women intently sometimes. Despite their beautiful facades, their expressions always gave off one of two emotions at any given time: extreme indifference, as they smoked their cigarettes and snorted coke, or melancholy. It was in these moments that she realized she could have been any of these women. Yes, she wasn’t so different from them since she too had subscribed to a life alongside a poor excuse for a man. However, unlike these women, she wasn’t forced to do things against her will. Her and Nic hadn’t even done anything more than fool around a couple times after some exceptionally drunk nights out. The only thing he really asked of her was that she keep his home in order and him company while he was in town. Perhaps it was his subconscious desire to be surrounded by beautiful things at all times, or the reality that his lifestyle did not lend itself to a true monogamous relationship, regardless, that’s what he wanted of her - and for that, she was grateful. He had given her a life of luxury and protection at little to no cost. Despite Nic’s kindness towards her, she knew he was no saint. He was, after all, a narco. A very dangerous one who wouldn’t hesitate to punish someone if he felt that person had disrespected him somehow, and Cheryl knew that if she ever crossed him, he wouldn’t spare her. That’s part of the reason why she hadn’t dared think of someone romantically since moving in with Nic. He certainly didn’t believe in monogamy, but that belief only extended to himself. His women, of which he had many, were expected to tend to his needs, and his needs only. If he ever caught wind that one of them had been seeing someone else - a shiver ran up Cheryl’s spine at the thought. She closed her eyes as memories of their first encounter flashed through her mind without warning.

 

_ “Ay, senorita! Another round of Havana Club!” The man yelled at Cheryl as Flock of Seagulls’ ‘I Ran’ blared loudly over the club’s soundsystem. Before Cheryl could say or do anything, he winked at her. He was clearly intoxicated, if his messy, untucked shirt and the way he swayed to the song was any indication.  _

 

_ Her patience with this guy was already wearing thin. _

 

_ Cheryl rolled her eyes and walked away without a word. Approaching the bar, she motioned to Carlos, “I need five more Havana Clubs for those miscreants in VIP.” _

 

_ Carlos raised an eyebrow at her as he poured the rum into glasses of ice. “Oye, you need to be careful. Those guys are very rich and powerful. Besides, they’re here like every night.” Carlos finished pouring the rum and placed the bottle down on top of the bar. He subtly looked around, making sure no one was watching them, and leaned over the bar so that only Cheryl could hear what he was about to say.  _

 

_ “Don’t tell anyone, but that guy, the one who asked you for the drinks, asked me about you the other night,” Carlos whispered.  _

 

_ “Excuse me?!” Cheryl exclaimed.  _

 

_ “Shhh!” Carlos quickly quieted her. She huffed and whispered, “You didn’t say anything, did you?! I swear to God if you said something I’m going to rip your-” _

 

_ “Ssshhhhhh!” Carlos hushed her once again while glancing around nervously. “Calm down! We can’t make a scene.” _

 

_ Cheryl stood down, but not before narrowing her eyes and crossing her arms across her chest. She stared at Carlos expectantly, waiting for him to answer her original question.  _

 

_ “Well…” Carlos hesitated, wringing his hands nervously, “I told him that you had just moved here...and that I hired you as a favor to a friend…...and your name - that’s it! Nada mas!” Carlos explained as he held up his hands in surrender.   _

 

_ “That’s great,” Cheryl deadpanned. “Pray tell, Carlos, why did you even feel the need to tell him anything about me? Do you owe him a favor too?” she asked in an annoyed tone. _

 

_ Carlos sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Alright, look. His name is Nicolas St. Clair and he’s...well...something you have to understand, Cheryl, is that this city is flowing with cocaine and crime.” _

 

_ Cheryl rolled her eyes at him for what felt like the hundredth time since they met three months ago.  _

 

_ “Yes, Carlos. I am aware. I have functioning eyes. You know what, if you’re just going to beat around the proverbial bush then we’re done here.” Cheryl went to pick up the tray of drinks, but Carlos grabbed her arm gently, stopping her. _

 

_ She made eye contact with him and noticed the gravity of his gaze. At that moment, for the first time since leaving Riverdale, she felt scared.  _

 

_ “What I’m about to say, you can’t react to or repeat. Just stay calm. Okay? Poker face. Promise?” Cheryl nodded dumbly. She would say or do anything at this point to get him to spit it out. Carlos regarded her for a moment, then inhaled quickly and exhaled heavily.  _

 

_ “Alright...what I was trying to say...is that the guy, Nicolas St. Clair, is...he’s...Miami’s mostpowerfulcocainenarco.” Carlos rushed out.     _

 

_ It took Cheryl seven seconds to process what he had just said before she was breaking her promise to him. _

 

_ “Are you fucking kidding me?!” She growled harshly while leaning over the bar. “Not only is my heinous mother likely scouring the nation for me, but now Miami’s very own real life Tony Montana knows my name! I swear, Carlos, if your dear abuela hadn’t put a roof over my head I would’ve shot a bow through your skull by now, you ridiculous, petulant-” Cheryl abruptly cut herself off as she saw Carlos look over her shoulder with wide eyes. “Wha-” _

 

_ “He’s coming. Over here. Now. Adios.” And with that, he disappeared.  _

 

_ “I-” Cheryl had barely recovered from his Houdini-like departure when she heard someone address her.  _

 

_ “So, señorita Blossom, how about those drinks, eh?” Nicolas said as he picked up one of the glasses of now-watery rum and took a long sip.  _

 

_ Cheryl swallowed dryly, but internally swore that she wouldn’t allow herself be intimidated by this boy in men’s clothing. She turned towards him and noticed with smug satisfaction that they were the same height.  _

 

_ “Apologies. I’ve only been working here for a short time and Carlos was just teaching me the proper way to hold a drink tray. As you can imagine, minimal spillage is of the utmost importance here at the Mutiny.” Cheryl stated in the most cherry-sweet voice she could muster.  _

 

_ Nicolas chuckled into his glass. “You are quite the fiesty one. Say, come have a drink in my section with me.” _

 

_ Cheryl’s response was 100% automatic as she had uttered it about fifty times at this point. “It is with the utmost regret that I have to decline, sir. Unfortunately, it’s against club policy for staff to mingle with-” _

 

_ “Si, si, si,” Nicolas waived his hand dismissively, effectively interrupting Cheryl. “Listen, I know that you know who I am…” Nicolas stated seriously as Cheryl stopped breathing, “and trust me, there won’t be an issue.” Nicolas smiled at her. “Now come on, you look too spectacular in that sequin dress to be serving drinks to these idiotas. Follow me.” _

 

_ Cheryl hesitated for a moment, but then decided ‘what the hell?’ It wasn’t as if she had anything more to lose in her life. And with that, she flipped her hair over her shoulder and slowly walked towards Nicolas as he held the velvet rope open for her.    _

 

It had been exactly a year since that fateful day on July 11, 1982. Nic made her feel safe. But it wasn’t the safety she yearned for. He made her feel safe in the way money did, the way her parents’ money had done throughout her life. She knew his money and power would protect her from her mother if she were to ever discover her whereabouts, just as he had promised. 

 

But what Cheryl craved was the safety that could only be provided by someone who truly loved her - by a woman who truly loved her. Someone, like sweet Heather, who loved her for who she was, demons and all. However, this was nothing more than a mere fantasy. As her mother had made it abundantly clear time and time again, Cheryl was an “emotional anorexic” who’d never known love except to rip it apart. She was incapable of loving and accepting love.

 

A sudden, loud cheering from across the club broke her reverie. She sat up and opened her eyes, blinking away the tears she hadn’t noticed were forming. She glanced down and noticed a fresh double dirty martini sitting in front of her. Someone must have brought it to her at some point during the last few minutes. She turned her head towards the bar and saw Carlos looking back at her with a sad smile as he wiped down the counter. She suddenly felt embarrassment tinge her cheeks as she realized he must’ve noticed her distant expression. 

 

It was all too much.

 

Hoping to no longer feel anymore, Cheryl drank the entire cocktail in three gulps. As she placed her empty martini glass down, she instantly felt the effects of the vodka go straight to her head. Through the haze, she was able to register the melodic sound of “Let’s Dance” by David Bowie playing over the speakers. 

 

_ ♪Let’s dance...♪ _

_ ♪Put on your red shoes and dance the blues…♪ _

  
  


“Unf, I love this song,” Cheryl moaned to no one in particular.  

 

She reached up and unpinned her luscious red curls and shook them out with her hands as they cascaded down her back beautifully. The combination of the vodka plus one of her favorite songs made her feel loopy. She giggled to herself, “Might as well have some fun, shouldn’t I? Can’t let mommy’s dance lessons go to waste.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again, check out the songs if you haven't heard them before. you won't regret it :)
> 
> feel free to comment!

“Alright, we’re here,” the gruff, non-descript man driving the SUV stated. Toni simply nodded and opened the car door. She had spent the entirety of the ride from the Port of Miami to the Mutiny in utter disbelief. She kept replaying her interaction with Nicolas over and over in her head. What was it that made him feel the need to hire her? He had plenty of men - surely any of them could fulfill the role of bodyguard to his...wife? Girlfriend? Just, woman?

 

So then, why her? Sure, her skills with a gun were outstanding, and she proved such, but that’s really it...other than one thing. Something during their interaction struck Toni as odd; specifically, the way Nicolas reacted when she told him she had been part of a gang in Riverdale. He muttered something about Riverdale following him...but Toni couldn’t figure out what he meant for the life of her. She shook the thoughts out of her head as she approached the club’s entrance.

 

_I guess I should just be thanking my lucky stars that Riverdale distracted him from the fact I might be a cop._

 

The doors of the Mutiny swung open and Toni’s eyes had barely adjusted when she was met with a remarkable sight. David Bowie’s iconic “Let’s Dance” had just begun playing over the club’s impressive soundsystem and the place was **_alive_ ** . There were people scattered all around - some dancing, some at the bar, some mingling in the booths, some snorting line after line. The club itself was rotund, with a dance floor in the middle. The lighting was muted but bright hues of pink and purple neon filled the space. Along the perimeter of the club was a beautiful bar, lit up with gold lights, and seating. There was one section in particular that was cordoned off with velvet ropes and elevated higher than the rest of the club. _That must be where St. Clair spends his time_ , thought Toni. The Mutiny was the pinnacle of 1983 Miami nightlife, and Toni couldn’t help but be amazed by its exuberance.

 

Toni had just registered all the magnificence that was the club before her eyes fell upon a sight far more extraordinary.

 

In the middle of the dance floor was a...woman. No, not “woman.” That word simply didn’t do her justice.

 

She was a **_goddess_**.

 

Michelangelo himself could never have sculpted anything as ethereal as the creature before her now. She wore an elegant red dress which hugged her subtle yet pronounced curves perfectly and flowed in tune with her swaying body. Her ivory skin was slightly flushed as she exerted herself, stepping and twirling perfectly in time with Bowie’s rhythm. She must be classically trained, pondered Toni. As the goddess danced, she ran her hands, which were perfectly manicured with paint that matched her crimson lipstick, through her long, luxuriant red hair. At some point during her creeping, Toni inadvertently stopped following Nicolas and the crew and simply stood, burning holes into the dancefloor. She was ravishing, and all Toni wanted - no, needed to do was show her just how **_sensational_ **she really was.

 

“Topaz, let’s go.” Toni quickly snapped out of her trance when one of the guys addressed her, brushing by her with his shoulder.

 

“Holy shit,” Toni muttered to herself as she began following the men, trying her damndest not to look at the dancefloor again for fear that the sight of **_her_ ** would cause Toni’s knees to buckle on the spot. As her body began burning up from what she had just witnessed, she considered putting her hair up into a ponytail, but decided against it, reasoning that it would be better to play it cool rather than look like a flushed and horny mess in front of the lady she’d be protecting - while, of course, digging up dirt on Nicolas.   

 

Upon entering the VIP area, Nicolas picked up a fresh mojito and waived Toni over. “So, Topaz. Welcome to the Mutiny, Miami’s finest establishment. As you’ll come to find, if Cheryl, the one you’ll be protecting, isn’t here, she’s at home mostly.”

 

Toni silently listened as Nicolas spoke, nodding her head in understanding..

 

“Very good. Now, for the main event. Let’s introduce you to the lioness herself.” Toni watched as Nicolas turned towards the dancefloor and motioned towards someone to come over.

 

Toni copied Nicolas and turned her body towards the dancefloor. She stopped breathing.

 

 ** _The_** **_goddess._**

 

The very woman herself started walking in their direction. _No no no no no. It can’t be_.

 

_♪Let’s sway...♪_

_♪Under the moonlight, this serious moonlight…♪_

 

Oh, but it was.

 

To Toni’s slight horror, the renaissance wonder she had just been ogling at came to a stop a mere two feet from where her and Nicolas stood. Toni’s mouth watered as she saw the layer of sweat glistening off the goddess’ skin. She even smelled amazing, like expensive perfume and fresh fruit. Toni was glued in place and on the verge of fainting. She watched on as, in what felt like slow motion, the woman glanced at Toni and subtly dragged her eyes up and down Toni’s body. She could’ve sworn on her parents’ graves that she saw the goddess bite down on her plump bottom lip.  
  
“ _Wow_ , they make the best mojitos here. Straight from Havana,” Nicolas commented to no one as he put his empty glass down. “Amor, I hope you won’t be too put off with me, but I regret to inform you that Ricky is no longer with the company,” Nicolas pulled a cigar out of his suit pocket and lit it, “However, I have found you a new bodyguard. Cheryl Blossom, meet Toni Topaz.”  
  
Toni realized this was her cue to say something. “Pleasure to meet you, Miss Blossom.” Toni rasped out and cleared her throat, cursing herself for sounding so nervous.  
  
Cheryl, as Nicolas called her, simply stared at Toni. After eight seconds of silence, Cheryl turned to Nicolas, “You were gone forever, Nic. Those vultures you call associates have been awaiting your arrival for quite some time.”  

 

 _Well then. She clearly doesn’t care about me or what happened to her former bodyguard,_ Toni thought.

 

Nicolas chuckled, “Ay, lo siento,” he turned to Toni, “As discussed, you’re her bodyguard and are responsible for her safety 24/7 - even more so when I am away on business. You should move in some clothing and necessities to my mansion on Star Island tomorrow. One of the guys should be able to take you to wherever you live in the morning. I already directed a few men to clear out Ricky’s former room, which is now yours.” Toni nodded and swallowed the lump in her throat as she finally realized Nicolas expected her to be by Cheryl’s side at all times, even to go so far as live under the same roof as her.

 

 _You have really outdone yourself this time, Topaz_.

 

“Anyways,” Nicolas clapped his hands and spoke around the cigar in his mouth. “I have some business to attend to. Cheryl, why don’t you go dance for a bit? You love this song.” Nicolas remarked as“Atomic” by Blondie began thumping throughout the club.

 

Nicolas turned to Toni once more, “Like I said, make sure you watch her at all times.” And with that he left to join his “associates.”

 

Toni watched him go for five seconds before she felt herself being watched. As if on instinct, she turned her head and found Cheryl staring at her. Again.

 

Toni was about to ask her if she wanted another drink but the words died on her lips as Cheryl smirked, raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow, and stepped closer to her.

 

_♪Uh huh make me tonight...♪_

 

Cheryl leaned in and whispered just mere inches from Toni’s face,“You heard the boss, Cha-Cha. Watch me.”

 

Toni stood stock still as Cheryl brushed behind her, heading towards the dancefloor, but not before seductively running her perfectly manicured red nails over the gun in Toni’s rear waistband. If it were anyone else, Toni would have had the person pinned to the floor and in a chokehold within a matter of seconds. But, it wasn’t just any person, and Toni hated herself for the way her body reacted to Cheryl. The familiar warmth that had been present in her lower abdomen since seeing Cheryl intensified as she watched the redhead saunter to the dancefloor without so much as a second glance back at Toni.

 

Upon reaching the dancefloor, Cheryl turned her body towards Toni and began dancing while staring directly at her.

 

 _She is going to be the death of me_ , Toni thought to herself. She shifted uncomfortably as she watched Cheryl begin to move her hips in time with the song’s beat. She discreetly glanced in Nicolas’ direction. He was immersed in a conversation, not paying any mind to Cheryl or her.  

 

Toni sighed, looking back in Cheryl’s direction. _It’s not weird for me to watch her, right? I mean, I_ **_am_ ** _her bodyguard. Just play it cool and do your “job.”_

 

_♪Uh huh make me tonight...♪_

_♪Tonight, tonight…♪_

_♪Oh, uh huh make it magnificent…♪_

 

Toni wasn’t sure if she could even describe what Cheryl was doing as “dancing.” She was swaying her hips in a fashion that was certainly not rated PG. As Toni watched on, she couldn’t help but imagine what Cheryl’s body looked like without the dress. Before Toni had the chance to mentally berate herself for thinking such thoughts about a woman she just met, her breath caught in her throat as the song’s bridge played.

 

_♪Oh your hair is beautiful...♪_

 

While staring directly into Toni’s eyes, Cheryl rubbed her hands over her upper thighs, up across her toned stomach, and over her breasts. Toni watched, enraptured as Cheryl squeezed her breasts lightly, and Toni felt the lust that had been simmering inside of her hit her like a freight train. If her underwear wasn’t ruined before, it definitely was now.  

 

_♪Tonight make me tonight...♪_

_♪Your hair is beautiful...♪_

 

Cheryl’s hands continued their path upward, threading through her hair as she became lost in her own world. She truly was a sight to behold. Parted lips, messy hair, just... **_pure perfection_ **.

 

As the song came to a close, Toni could not tear her eyes from Cheryl, and it seemed Cheryl was having the same issue as she was staring back while panting heavily. Suddenly, the intro to “Shadows of the Night” began.

 

 _♪We're running with the shadows of the night♪_ _  
_ _♪So baby take my hand, you'll be alright♪_ _  
_ _♪Surrender all your dreams to me tonight♪_  
♪They'll come true in the end♪

 

Pat Benatar’s voice broke them out of their trance. Cheryl shook her head slightly and rushed off the dancefloor towards the restroom. Toni just watched her go, internally debating with herself. _Should I follow her? Would that be weird? I mean after what just happened, yes. But I’m her bodyguard. But I’m sure Ricky didn’t fucking follow her everywhere when he was alive. But I’m not Ricky, and that was..._

 

“Fuck me,” Toni muttered as her legs began carrying her in the direction of the ladies’ room.

 

“Cheryl?” Toni called out as she slowly opened the restroom door. She peered inside and saw Cheryl leaning over the sink with her head down. She clearly hadn’t heard Toni, so she entered the restroom slowly and closed the door behind her. At the sound of the door closing, Cheryl raised her head and met Toni’s eyes in the mirror.

 

Toni slowly approached, stopping a few feet short of Cheryl she decided she should speak first since she’s the one who showed up uninvited. “Hey...are you alright? Do you need water or anything?”

 

Cheryl turned around so that she was facing Toni. Toni couldn’t read her expression, but she almost looked...conflicted.

 

Silence filled the restroom. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of “Shadows of the Night” playing on the other side of the door.

 

 _♪All the pain you've ever felt♪_ _  
_ _♪Ransom my heart, but baby don't look back♪_  
♪'Cause we got nobody else♪

 

“I saw you watching me earlier,” Cheryl stated matter of factly.

 

Toni simply stared hoping Cheryl wouldn’t continue, but she did.

 

“When I was dancing to Bowie. I saw you.” Cheryl whispered into the empty restroom.

 

Toni’s eyes widened.

 

“Shit.”

  
_♪You can cry tough baby, it's all right♪_ _  
_ _♪You can let me down easy, but not tonight♪_

 

Toni started rambling before she could stop herself. “I’m so sorry. God, that was so stupid, you probably think I’m such a creep. I promise I had no idea who you were when I walked in. You must feel so objectified, fuck. I totally understand if you don’t want to be around me, seriously I don’t blame you. Stay here, I’m going to go tell Nicolas to reassign me or something, I’ll figure it out, again I’m so-”

 

Toni’s rant was abruptly cut off by the feeling of Cheryl’s pillowy, red lips on hers. It took a whole five seconds for Toni’s brain to catch up with what was happening. Despite the screeching alarm bells sounding in her head - _Stop! What are you doing?! You’re an FBI AGENT. This will complicate everything, hell, it’ll compromise you and the whole operation!_ \- Toni couldn’t pull away even if someone was holding a gun to her head. Their lips weren’t even moving, simply resting against each other, and Toni could feel the electricity between them. Her brain finally kicked into gear and she started slowly moving her lips against Cheryl’s. Cheryl responded just as slowly and brought her trembling hands to Toni’s face. In response, Toni gingerly placed her hands on Cheryl’s hips, hoping not to scare the redhead away. They kissed languidly for a few more moments before pulling apart hesitantly.

 

Cheryl opened her eyes, which were filled with confusion at first, then fear. “Oh my god.”

 

She stepped away from Toni and walked to the other side of the room. Toni tried her best not to take the space between them personally, but she couldn’t help it.

 

“Cher- I-”

 

“I’m so sorry, Toni,” Cheryl cut her off. “God, that was so presumptuous of me. I can’t believe I did that. You were just doing your job by following me and I, the touch and emotionally starved loveless person that I am, just threw myself at you.” Now it was Toni’s turn to interrupt.

 

“Woah, Cheryl stop.” Cheryl looked up at Toni as she slowly came closer. “Believe me, I wanted to kiss you the second I saw you, if my leering was any indication,” Toni joked and was delighted to see Cheryl’s distraught expression replaced with a small smile. Gathering her bravery, Toni continued, “Look, we barely know each other, but I felt myself pulled to you the second I saw you dancing. I don’t know what it is, and I know this might seriously complicate things, but I wanted to follow you, not because I’m your bodyguard, but I because I just had to make sure you were okay,” Toni smirked, hoping her next words would relieve some of the tension in the air, “Ya know, I could never resist a lonely girl with a beautiful face, and you, bombshell, are **_sensational_ **.”

 

To Toni’s relief, Cheryl smiled, lighting up the room as she beamed at Toni. Toni felt her heart instantly melt at the site, and it was in that moment that she knew she would do anything for this girl - and the revelation scared her. Their nonexistent relationship was already complicated, what with her role as bodyguard to Nicolas’...she still didn’t know what Cheryl was to him. On top of that, she was an undercover FBI Agent tasked with taking down, well, Cheryl’s man. Toni felt her stomach twist as she realized that was something she’d need to keep secret from Cheryl - not because she wanted to, but because she needed to in order to protect her.

 

Toni was broken out of her thoughts as Cheryl stepped forward and hugged her, wrapping herself around Toni. “Thank you, Toni. I appreciate your kind words, and I sincerely do apologize for my actions earlier. To be honest, I’m quite inebriated,” Cheryl giggled to herself.

 

Toni pulled away from Cheryl with a sly smirk, but let one hand rest on her hip. “My goodness, Miss Blossom. Imbibing tonight, are we?” Cheryl giggled harder at Toni’s faux bourgeois accent. “Well, in that case, I believe it’s about time we get you to bed. Think your sober enough to give me directions?” Cheryl rolled her eyes, “Don’t push your luck Cha-Cha. I’ll collect my belongings and bid adieu to Nic.”

 

“I’ll grab a set of keys to one of the trucks and we can head out. Sound good?”

 

“Sounds perfect,” Cheryl replied, but before leaving the restroom, she turned to Toni once more. “Are we...alright? I- Well...can we be...friends? It’s just, I want to get to know you but Nic cannot know what happened tonight, Toni. Nor can he know that we are anything more than damsel and muscle. Please. Please, don’t tell anyone.”

 

Toni looked into Cheryl’s eyes and nodded her head. “Of course, Cher. Protecting you is not only my literal job, it’s something I want to do, and I promise to never do anything that could put you in danger, ever. I’d rather die than let anything happen to you.” Cheryl looked a little taken aback by Toni’s suddenly serious demeanor, but said nothing of it, she simply nodded her head while searching Toni’s face for any indication that there was more to her words. Little did she know, there certainly was.

 

“Shall we?” Toni asked, and Cheryl simply nodded as they both turned to exit the restroom.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here's another chapter. it's a bit of a wild ride, so buckle up y'all. 
> 
> also, for purposes of this fic, I got a twitter so feel free to follow/ask questions/talk choni, etc.! @pearlcadillac
> 
> xoxo

The bright Florida sun filtered in past the curtains of the master bedroom. As the sun rose higher into the sky, a streak of light touched Cheryl’s slumbering face. The sudden brightness caused her to stir. She slowly opened her eyes and groaned. _What time is it?_ Judging by the the UV rays shining into her room, she guessed it must have been far later than her usual 7:30am wake up. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table - 12:16pm

 

“For heaven’s sake,” Cheryl muttered to herself as she hastily threw the fluffy white comforter off of her body. She rubbed her eyes groggily, fully expecting them to be black with the makeup she undoubtedly forgot to remove last night. She pulled her hands away from her face and, to her surprise, they were smudge free. Cheryl furrowed her eyebrows and tried to think back to last night. She remembered being dropped off at the Mutiny, waiting an eternity for Nic, dancing to -

 

Oh. Bowie. Blondie. The bathroom.  

 

Toni.

 

Cheryl inhaled and exhaled shakily as memories of her and Toni’s car ride home quickly flooded her mind.

 

_“Ah, perfect,” Toni grumbled as she finally found ‘that one light rock station’ she had been searching for after pulling away from the club._

 

_“Do you smoke?” Cheryl asked as she pulled a cigarette out of her cigarette holder and lit it._

 

_“I sure do, but Virginia Slims aren’t really my thing,” Toni smirked and glanced to her right as Cheryl inhaled deeply._

 

_Cheryl smiled softly as she blew smoke from her nose and mouth. “Mmm, let me guess. You’re more of a Marlboro girl?”_

 

_“Oh, you betcha. I always go to where the flavor is.” Toni replied as she took her eyes off the road momentarily to throw Cheryl a sly wink. Cheryl giggled and shook her head, “Alright, calm down, cowboy.”_

 

_Toni chuckled softly as the car fell into a comfortable silence. All that could be heard were the sounds of Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” softly playing and the burn of Cheryl’s cigarette each time she inhaled. Toni tried her hardest to simply focus on the road ahead and getting to Star Island without losing her sense of direction, but her mind was repeatedly overcome with memories of what happened in the bathroom. She knew Cheryl was a little drunk and couldn’t help but feel insecure over the possibility that their kiss didn’t mean anything. On the other hand, the kiss and Cheryl’s words to her after felt genuine. Toni sighed as she recalled the feeling of Cheryl’s lips against hers. They were so plump and soft and her red lipstick tasted somewhat sweet. Even though the kiss itself was innocent for the most part, the memory alone was enough to get Toni worked up again. She didn’t know what it was about Cheryl that had her so infatuated from the second she saw her dancing to Bowie, but whatever it was it had Toni scared shitless. Yes, Cheryl was absolutely gorgeous - anyone with eyes would agree - but there was something else about her that made Toni feel like a hummingbird to nectar. Never had she felt so invested in someone without even knowing them. Not to mention she had never been the one to pursue a woman beyond one night stands. Not that she was an asshole or anything, or at least she didn’t think so, but hooking up was just easier for her. Underneath her tough gang member, FBI agent facade, she was empathetic. She cared about people - which was in large part why she chose her career path - and she knew that if she allowed herself to get too close to those outside of her family - her grandfather, Sweets, Fangs - that she would eventually end up getting her heart broken. Cheryl, though. Cheryl was different and it didn’t take much for Toni to imagine a future with her. A beautiful future at that, full of long sunset strolls on South Beach holding hands, romantic candlelit dinners on Callisto under the summer moon -_

 

_“I love this song,” Cheryl remarked and closed her eyes as Dolly Parton’s soft melodious voice came over the radio, effectively breaking Toni out of her admittedly outrageous daydreams. Hoping not to disturb the tranquility surrounding them too much, but distract herself while learning more about Cheryl, Toni cleared her throat gently._

 

_“So, Cheryl, are you from Miami?”_

 

_Cheryl opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Toni. “I’m from a place far, far away from here, Toni. A place where the sun rarely shines. A town of horrors, if you will,” she faced forward again as a distant expression overtook her features._

 

_Hearing her words, Toni slightly regretted having even asked Cheryl what seemed like an innocent question initially, but she also had the feeling that Cheryl wanted to continue, that she probably wasn’t asked about herself by many people._

 

_“Is that why you’re here? In Miami, I mean. You don’t want to be near your hometown?” Toni nudged gently as she placed her hand over Cheryl’s on her lap, softly rubbing her thumb across Cheryl’s knuckles before placing her hand back on the steering wheel._

 

_Cheryl chucked mirthlessly, “That’s an understatement.” She quickly glanced at Toni gauging her reaction to her snarky comment. She sighed “I apologize, I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just a sensitive subject.”_

 

_“Don’t worry about it, bombshell. I didn’t mean to pry. Let’s drop it.” Toni smiled reassuringly in Cheryl’s direction._

 

_“No,” Cheryl protested, “I want to tell you. I feel like I can trust you for some reason, but...promise not to pass judgment? My family isn’t exactly what one would call ‘normal,’ whatever that means.”_

 

_“Cross my heart, Cher. Believe me, my childhood and family aren’t exactly normal either.” Toni smiled lifting one side of her mouth, hoping to ease Cheryl’s nerves. Apparently it worked._

 

_Cheryl cleared her throat and sat up straighter, “The Blossoms, my surname and legacy, have always been a family of prestige and elitism, ever since my grandfather helped found the town I grew up in. Not only was he a founding father, he also founded the family business, which is still around today, or was around I should say before my father ruined everything,” Cheryl closed her eyes as the painful memories she had repressed for so long came to the forefront of her mind. Toni noticed her internal struggle and tried to interject._

 

_“Cher, it’s okay. Let’s just listen to some music and talk about this another time-” but Cheryl, being the stubborn woman she was, steeled herself and pressed forward._

 

 _“My parents, Toni, are absolute monsters. Throughout my childhood and adolescence they subjected me to various forms of mental, emotional, and, at times, physical abuse. And for what reason you may be wondering? For no reason at all. It was just in their nature to be spiteful, even towards their own daughter. The only glimmer of hope I had growing up was my twin brother, Jason, or J.J. as I affectionately call him,” Cheryl’s eyes became glassy at the thought of her brother. “J.J. was truly the best person I’ve ever known. He had a heart of gold and his intentions were always so pure I don’t think I could ever sufficiently express to you how simply_ **_good_ ** _he was. He often threw himself in between myself and the wrath of my parents in order to protect me. He even pushed my father off a chair once at dinner when he was badgering me about finding a boyfriend at school,” Cheryl shook her head fondly at the memory._

 

_“He was everything to me, Toni.” Silent tears streamed down Cheryl’s face and Toni felt her eyes sting with her own tears as Cheryl continued._

 

_“Then one day, everything fell apart. J.J. caught wind that my father was using the family business to not only sell drugs but also launder the profits from his illicit activities. J.J., being the angel that he was, wanted no part of it, what with him being the rightful heir to the Blossom throne. Furthermore, while this revelation came to light, he had just learned that his high school girlfriend, Polly,  was pregnant. It was all too much at once, and he came to me for help. So we devised a plan in which J.J. would fake his death and run away with Polly,” Cheryl paused and swallowed the lump in her throat, “however, while the plan went smoothly for the most part, one aspect of it did not...J.J. turned up dead on the banks of the river a week later,” Cheryl croaked out._

 

 _Toni was enraptured by Cheryl’s story, almost unable to believe that someone so beautiful could have experienced so much pain during her short life. Frankly, she was at a loss for words, but she_ **_needed_ ** _Cheryl to know that she was there for her. “Cheryl, I am so, so, so sorry. I- I wish I knew you then so I could have been there for you, but I’m here for you now, okay? Thank you for sharing this with me. Your brother sounds so amazing, and I can tell you really love him” Toni reached across the gear shift to gently hold Cheryl’s left hand. Cheryl looked down at their intertwined hands, noting the contrasting skin tones, and sighed, “Thank you. Unfortunately, it gets worse, if you can believe it,” Cheryl remarked humorlessly, “Shortly after J.J.’s death had been ruled a homicide, and after a lengthy investigation, it was discovered that my brother’s death was neither at the hand of one of the town’s notorious gangs nor a rival narco as we had originally presupposed…. but my very own father.” Cheryl removed her hand from Toni’s and brought an unlit cigarette to her lips. She shakily attempted to light it a few times before Toni gently took the lighter from her hands and, while watching the road, flicked the flame to life in one smooth motion._

 

_Cheryl inhaled deeply and exhaled the fumes. “You must be wondering, ‘is her father in jail?’ Well, he’s not. The man showed cowardice throughout his entire sad existence on this Earth and his final moments were no exception. After I confronted him about his role in J.J.’s untimely demise, he hung himself from the rafters of a barn on our family estate before the authorities could apprehend him,” Cheryl shook her head disdainfully, “What a bastard.”_

 

_Toni hoped that her facial expression wasn’t indicative of the shock she felt. “Cher, I’m sorry you had to go through that. If there’s anything I can do, ever, please just let me know. I want to help you in any way I can.” Cheryl shot Toni a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, “Merci, Toni.”_

 

_Hoping to lighten the mood slightly, Toni thought it’d be best to bring them back to the present, “Here you are then, in sunny South Florida.”_

 

_Cheryl smirked humorlessly, “Oh, my father and his dastardly deeds aren’t what brought me to Miami. Remember I mentioned my parents were absolutely terrible. Well, the only person more conniving and soulless than my father is my viper of a mother. Shortly after the events with my father transpired, I found solace in a friend...well, she was more than a friend...” Cheryl paused as a gentle smile graced her lips, “Heather was there for me when I needed someone the most. She was my emotional support and as we grew closer I found myself feelings things for her I had never felt before for anyone...” Cheryl took a deep breath and Toni could feel herself grow fearful over what Cheryl would say next. “During one of our routine sleepovers, my mother barged into my room and found us in bed together -” Toni inhaled through her nose sharply, barely capable of imagining what Cheryl would say next “- needless to say, the woman is a vile homophobe. She sent Heather and her family away, and as for me, she...well she...she sent...I-I-”_

 

_“It’s okay, Cher,” Toni interjected as she saw Cheryl struggling with whatever other trauma she was attempting to recount. “I really appreciate you sharing all of this with me, and I am beyond amazed at how strong you’ve been your entire life. Seriously, I can only dream of being a quarter of the courageous, resilient woman you are. But please, don’t push yourself for me. We can talk more later. We have time, baby girl.” Toni looked over at the beautiful yet heartbroken redhead after turning onto the short bridge which led to Star Island._

 

 _Cheryl sighed, relieved that Toni had saved her from delving into_ **_that_ ** _part of the story. “Thank you, Toni. I don’t think I’m ready to talk about that quite yet.”_

 

_Toni nodded reassuringly as the gates to the private island lifted for the SUV. Searching for a distraction, Cheryl decided to casually turn the conversation towards Toni, “So now that you’ve heard so much about me, it’s only fair that you tell me a bit about yourself. What was growing up like for you?”_

 

_Toni shrugged as she slowly navigated the dark residential streets searching for Nicolas’ estate. “Oh, it was fine for the most part. My parents passed away when I was really young - and before you say anything, it’s really fine. I barely remember them, besides I had my own little quirky family to take care of me,” Toni stated nonchalantly as she pulled into Nicolas’ enormous driveway._

 

_Toni put the car in park and glanced towards the mansion, “Jesus Christ, this place is ridiculous.”_

 

_“What do you mean by ‘quirky family’?” Cheryl continued, genuinely interested in learning more about this enigmatic woman’s past._

 

_“Well, for most of my childhood my family was made up of my grandfather and my two best guy friends. We always had each other’s backs, which was necessary living in Sunnyside Trailer Park. When we turned 13, the guys and I  joined a gang called the Southside Serpents. They’re mostly involved in petty crime as far as I know, and I even engaged in some criminal stuff here and there, but the Serpents were more about family to me than it was the actual gang stuff. Eventually, though, I got tired of Riverdale, and moved to a few places then Miami, and here I am,” Toni quickly finished the brief recounting of her life, hoping Cheryl wouldn’t pry for detail. But before Toni could feel guilty about skirting the truth in front of Cheryl, a tidal wave of terrible luck came crashing into her._

 

_Toni turned the vehicle off, unbuckled her seat belt, and twisted her body towards Cheryl, “So yeah, that’s-” Toni cut herself off as she noticed the expression on Cheryl’s face within the dimly lit SUV._

 

_Cheryl was as white as a ghost._

 

_“Cher?”_

 

_“Did you say...Riverdale?” Cheryl whispered hoarsely._

 

_“Yeah, it’s where I grew up,” Toni answered confusedly._

 

_“And the gang…”_

 

_“The Serpents. The Southside Serpents. My grandfather is part of the founding tribe.”_

 

_Cheryl swallowed the bile rising in the back of her throat as her nails dug into the palm of her hands. Toni was alarmed by Cheryl’s sudden mood shift. Worriedly, she attempted to shuffle across the gear shift, “Cher, are you okay-”_

 

_“Don’t!” Cheryl raised her voice, bringing Toni’s actions to a halt._

 

_Toni searched Cheryl’s face frantically, “Was it something I said-”_

 

_Cheryl’s eyes were dark with what Toni could only surmise was pure rage. “A Southside Serpent was the one who disposed of J.J.’s body and helped my father cover up the murder. A Southside fucking Serpent, which you are! I can’t believe this is happening-” Cheryl, exasperated, ran her fingers through her hair._

 

_Toni’s mouth fell open. All of a sudden the pieces began coming together in her mind. Blossom. She remembered a Blossom family being part of Riverdale. Blossom maple syrup. The drugs. She had heard from Fangs of a Serpent getting involved in a sleazy rich guy’s drug ring when he had first moved to Miami. Fuck, why didn’t she realize this before?_

 

_“Shit,” Toni muttered to herself. “Cheryl, please, I didn’t know. I- just hear me out-”_

 

_“Save it.” Cheryl interrupted with glassy, stone cold eyes. “I don’t care what you have to say. I should have fucking known you were too good to be true. You’re just another criminal like the rest of them, like Nic’s men, like my father, and to top it all off you’re a slimy Serpent,” Cheryl choked out harshly, opening the car door. She attempted to step out but Toni grabbed her arm gently._

 

_“Cheryl,” Toni’s voice cracked as her tears threatened to spill. “I’m not like that, and you know it. Please. Please, don’t push me away-”_

 

_Cheryl waited a couple beats before responding and Toni could have sworn she saw hesitation in her conflicted brown eyes. However, just as quickly as Cheryl’s hesitation appeared it disappeared. “Leave. Me. Alone.” Cheryl pulled her arm out of Toni’s grasp and slammed the car door shut._

 

_Toni watched as the fiery redhead stormed into the mansion and shut the large wooden doors behind her angrily._

 

_“FUCK!” Toni growled as she punched the dashboard repeatedly. After effectively bruising her knuckles, she closed her eyes and slumped her head against the steering wheel._

 

_“What the hell am I gonna do now….” Toni groaned in pain and defeat._

 

Cheryl closed her eyes. Perhaps…she overreacted. After her dramatic exit, she remembered running up the stairs and shutting herself in the master suite. She didn’t even change out of her red Versace dress, simply slid under the covers and quietly cried herself to sleep as if she was mourning the loss of her brother all over again.

 

Cheryl opened her eyes and sighed. Her emotions were jumbled, to say the least. On the one hand, it truly pained her to know that Toni was part of...that **_gang_ ** _._ However, she knew deep down in her bones that Toni was right. She wasn’t like that, and had Cheryl listened to her she may have discovered such. It’s possible Toni had no idea what occurred with her father, J.J., and the Serpents. Hell, it’s more than likely since Toni hadn’t picked up on the fact that Riverdale was her hometown, even after telling her about her family’s legacy and her brother’s tragic death. Had Toni been involved or even known, she wouldn’t have been so dumbfounded when the pieces finally came together in Nic’s driveway. Right?

 

Cheryl huffed in frustration. She wasn’t used to feeling so many conflicting things - anger, sadness, regret. _Maybe some fresh air will help._ She rose from the plush king bed and sauntered towards her large, walk-in closet. She stepped out of last night’s dress, leaving her in her black underwear, and slipped into a silk red, lacy nightgown which stopped about mid thigh. She then made her way towards the ensuite bathroom and was shocked to discover all of her makeup had been removed. _How is that possible?…_ Did she sleep walk and take her makeup off?...or…

 

 **_Toni_ **.

 

She felt a lump form in her throat as it dawned on her. Toni probably slipped into her room some time during the night to check on her, but instead of waking her up she gently removed the smeared makeup from her tear-stained face. _She’s so tender, Cheryl. So soft. Don’t you see? You knew this already, ever since she ran after you in the Mutiny. She’s different. She_ **_cares_ **. Cheryl leaned against the counter as she attempted to collect herself. Needing a distraction, she brushed her teeth, washed her face, and used the toilet. After finishing up, she grabbed the silk blue robe off the door hook and shrugged it on. She then made her way towards the vanity, grabbing her velvet cigarette holder and lighter off of it, and went to turn towards the double balcony doors, when something caught her eye. Placed on top of her vanity leaning against the mirror was a neatly folded note. She picked it up and unfolded it slowly, knowing it was from Nic before even reading the words on the page.

 

_Amor,_

 

_I apologize for my hasty departure, pero I am needed back in Medellin sooner than expected. I left for the airport shortly after you left the Mutiny last night; thus, I did not have a chance to bid you goodbye in person, but please consider this my formal farewell. I’m not entirely sure how long I will be away, as P.E. is expanding his supply network greatly, my company has to keep pace with distribution and shipments. Regardless, Topaz has been briefed and understands your daily routine._

 

_Ciao,_

 

_Nic_

 

Cheryl folded the note gently and dropped it into the trash bin. Nic’s habit of leaving suddenly and without notice had become routine over the past year and Cheryl didn’t mind at all. She actually preferred it when he was away; however, it did get lonely living in this big mansion by herself with Ricky always looming nearby. An unexpected shiver suddenly ran up Cheryl’s spine as she realized Toni and her would be living together. Alone. Shaking her head before any inappropriate thoughts could infiltrate her mind, she resumed her original plan and headed towards the balcony. On the way she picked up the Bell Nomad 400 cordless phone that was sitting atop the bedside table. Opening the doors, she was welcomed with the feeling of the sun’s warm rays. The balcony was quite large in size and overlooked the pool, backyard, docks, and intercoastal. It was adorned with a few tropical plants, outdoor lounge chairs, and a chaise sofa set. She gracefully plopped down on the chaise lounge and stretched her legs. She pulled a cigarette out of its holder and lit it. After taking a few drags, she picked up the phone and dialed the number she had been dialing twice a month for the past year. After only a couple of rings, someone picked up.

 

“Lodge residence,” Veronica’s voice answered.

 

“Good afternoon, I would like to make a reservation for two this Saturday at 7:00 p.m.?” Cheryl stated, smiling to herself despite having said this line an innumerable amount of times.

 

“Well, if it isn’t Miss Bombshell herself?” Veronica replied in her usual fashion, signalling to Cheryl that neither her mother nor father were home to hear their conversation. Despite being unable to physically see Veronica, Cheryl could hear her smiling through the phone.

 

“It is indeed. Miss me?”

 

“Oh, always,” Veronica replied cheekily. “However, it is quite unlike you to call me so late in the afternoon. I must ask, did Cheryl Blossom sleep in?”

 

Cheryl chuckled softly at Veronica’s antics, “Quiet down, V. I can neither confirm nor deny that accusation,” both girls laughed quietly before silence was heard over the line. “So…” Cheryl began as she picked at the material of the sofa, “Pray tell, how goes it in the town with pep?”

 

“All is well. Archie and I have been seeing each other off and on, so there’s that...” Cheryl rolled her eyes. She always knew they had a thing for each other, “...Oh, and I recently acquired Pop Tate’s Chock’lit Shoppe and with the sudden influx of cash flow, I’m happy to report business is booming. I’m even thinking about reviving the old speakeasy that was once located in the Shoppe’s basement.”

 

“My, my Miss Lodge. Quite the entrepreneur, are we?” Cheryl replied snarkily, but she was actually very happy for her friend, “In all seriousness, V, that’s fantastic. I’m so proud of you. But be warned, when I finally return for a long overdue, delicious strawberry milkshake, it better taste just as good as, if not better than, it did prior to my rebellious escape.”

 

Veronica giggled breathily into the receiver, “Oh, don’t you worry about that. I’ll personally see to it that the integrity of the strawberry milkshakes are preserved just for you….” Silence overtook the line once again, but Cheryl waited, sensing that Veronica had more to say. “So…I received a call from Nana Rose last week.”

 

At the mention of her grandmother’s name, her interest quickly piqued. She hastily stubbed out her cigarette in the ashtray on the coffee table, unable to focus on anything other than the conversation at hand, “You did? How is she? Is she alright? Did something happen? Did my-”

 

“Cheryl, Cheryl! Relax, she’s fine. Everything is fine. She called me to tell me a bit of important news that she asked I share with you.” Cheryl waited for Veronica to continue with bated breath, “It turns out that your late father left a will...” Cheryl furrowed her eyebrows. _What?_ The possibility of a will had crossed her mind a couple of times, but after hearing no news of one after several months, she abandoned hope. The sound of Veronica’s voice brought Cheryl back to the present “Apparently, the authorities had to wrap up their investigation into the business before your family attorney was able to get into divvying up your father’s assets. Now that Blossom Maple Farms is once again a legitimate business, a will reading was scheduled and took place about a week ago.”

 

Cheryl thought she was going to have a heart attack waiting for what Veronica would say next. Either her father wasn’t the devil incarnate after all, and left some of his fortune to Cheryl, or he was more evil than she originally thought and left everything to her ghoulish mother. “V...please, just get to it. I feel as if I’m going to faint.”

 

“Well, in that case I hope you’re sitting down…” Cheryl held her breath, “...Your father left everything to you and Jason. His entire fortune and the maple syrup business.”

 

Cheryl released the breath she was holding with a heavy exhale. She clutched her heart as the news settled in. She could barely believe this. _You have it all, Cheryl. Finally, your independence, your freedom, it’s here. You’re no longer under your mother’s thumb, Nic’s thumb, anyone’s thumb._

 

“Oh my God, V. That...that is incredible...Wait- what about Thistlehouse? Did my mother get it?”

 

Cheryl could almost feel Veronica smirking from a thousand miles away, “Actually, Nana Rose retains ownership of Thistle House and she told me she’d love to move back there with you at some point. As for your mother, she was given the charred husk that is Thornhill, which is very apropos if you ask me.”

 

Cheryl laughed out loud, “Holy shit, V. I never thought this day would come,” Cheryl sniffled as happy tears formed in her eyes.

 

“I know, I know,” Veronica replied as tears formed in her own eyes, sharing in Cheryl’s joy, “You can come back to Riverdale and live the life your mother so heartlessly ripped from you for so many years,” Veronica stated optimistically.

 

Just as the thought of returning to Riverdale entered Cheryl’s mind, she heard the very loud rumble of a motorcycle engine roaring from the driveway, which appeared to increase in volume the closer it came to the mansion. “V, can you hang on a second?” Cheryl put the phone down, not waiting for Veronica’s reply, and made her way towards the bedroom window which overlooked the driveway.

 

She was met with quite the sight.

 

Toni Topaz herself, in a black leather jacket, black leather pants, combat boots, and a matte black helmet rolling up to the house on a roaring motorcycle. Cheryl clenched her thighs together at the site. It was... **_arousing_. ** _I thought the leather biker chick aesthetic ended with Joan Jett, but clearly I was wrong,_ thought Cheryl as she subconsciously licked her lips while watching Toni bring the bike to a halt and remove her helmet to shake out her luscious locks. Whatever ill will Cheryl still harbored towards the pink haired biker quickly dissipated at the site of her on that admittedly sexy hunk of metal.

 

Remembering that Veronica was on hold, she quickly scurried towards the balcony and picked up the phone.

 

“Hey V, sorry,” she breathed into the phone.

 

“Are you out of breath? What’s going on over there?” Veronica inquired. She was always the nosy one.

 

“Nothing, nothing...anyways, please tell Nana Rose that I will return to Riverdale soon, but not just yet. I have some...matters to take care of first here in Miami.”

 

“Cheryl Blossom, what do you have up your designer sleeve?”

 

Cheryl smirked, “Oh,my dear raven haired accomplice. You’ll find out in due time.”     

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> another chapter! don't worry, the next chapter will come in the next couple of days. I just wanted you guys to have this one today. 
> 
> as always, feel free to comment and/or follow me on twitter @pearlcadillac i'll follow back :)

“God, why do I have to love leather so much,” Toni sighed as she removed the helmet from her sweaty head. In true Miami fashion, it was a whopping 95 degrees as the sun reached its highest peak in the clear blue skies above, effectively roasting the leather clad biker. Behind her, Toni heard Vad cut the engine to the SUV and step out of the car ungracefully. Toni simply watched as he walked by her towards the entrance to the mansion without so much as a word. “You’re not gonna give me a hand?” Toni asked incredulously. “Nope,” Vad replied, popping the “p.”

 

“Fucking dick,” Toni grumbled as she dismounted her bike and approached the SUV to retrieve her belongings. She was still pissed at the oaf for waking her up so damn early.

 

_“HEY WAKE UP!” someone barked into her room._

 

_Toni jolted awake with a start automatically reaching for her pistol on the bedside table. She pointed it towards the source of the noise and saw a tall, bald, pale man dressed in a too tight white t-shirt and worn out blue jeans. “Uh, who the hell are you?” she questioned as she lightly pressed the trigger, ready to shoot at any moment._

 

_“Calm your tits,” the man replied in a thick Eastern European accent. “I’m Vad, the boss sent me. We’re gonna go pick up your shit. Come on I don’t have all day.”_

 

_Toni put her pistol down, somewhat satisfied with his explanation but still extremely irked that he had the audacity to wake her up so rudely. She glanced at the clock. 5:45 a.m. “Ya know,” she started, “you could have at least waited till the sun came up. Just a thought,” she deadpanned. Vad, as he called himself, ignored her jab and retrieved a folded piece of paper from his back pocket. “Here,” he said as he unceremoniously threw the note on her bed, “Give this to the bitch of the house.” Despite Toni’s exhausted and sleep deprived brain, she knew who he was referring to and she felt her blood begin to boil instantly. Yes, her and Cheryl had a blow out fight last night in the driveway and it’s entirely possible the woman will never look at her again because of it, but she wasn’t about to let some man insult the woman she lov- cared about. “You better watch your fucking mouth, Q-Tip. Or else,” Toni threatened darkly. Vad merely snickered, “Just hurry up,” and with that he left her room._

 

_Toni starred daggers into his retreating form well after he was gone. She huffed, trying to calm herself down when she looked down and noticed the note at the end of the bed. Grabbing it, she opened it carefully as not to accidentally damage it. Her eyes quickly scanned the page. It was from St. Clair. Apparently he left for Medellin last night because “P.E.” - she rolled her eyes at the less than tactful nickname - was expanding and he had to keep pace with the growing business. She committed the note to memory, but didn’t think it’d be very useful in her investigation since there was nothing outwardly incriminating in his words. To a jury it’d probably just look like a busy but loving husband’s goodbye letter to his equally loving wife._

 

_She refolded the note carefully and placed it on her bedside table as she got up. Wearing only her grey sports bra, black Calvin Klein briefs, and gold Virgin Mary necklace, Toni made her way towards the pile of last night’s clothing she had carelessly dumped on the love seat near the bedroom window, which overlooked part of Star Island and a small portion of the Miami skyline. After dressing, she left her room and made her way towards the small bathroom down the hall and freshened up a bit, knowing full well she’d be sweating soon as she always did in the Miami heat. Once she finished, she leaned against the bathroom sink and looked at her reflection. The bags under her eyes were on full display. The events of last night must have taken a greater toll on her than she originally admitted, as she was asbolutely exhausted. After Cheryl angrily stormed inside the mansion, Toni had sat in the SUV for another 45 minutes in silence, trying to comprehend the many unexpected turns her night had taken. From being attacked then recruited by Nicolas to kissing Cheryl in the bathroom to learning the Serpents had played an integral role in Jason’s death, it was all too much for a measly five hours. At around 1:34a.m., she gave up trying to rationalize the universe and kismet, and timidly entered the mansion. The place was enormous, lavish, and eerily quiet. She figured Cheryl must have passed out already, what with the alcohol and emotional distress she had just endured, and Toni was relieved. She had put that beautiful, broken woman through enough in one night, and really didn’t want to cause her anymore pain. She silently ascended the marble staircase, assuming that her room would be located upstairs where most bedrooms generally are. She reached the top and noticed two heavy oak doors to her right. “That must be the master suite,” she quietly whispered to herself, trying not to get lost in the thought that those doors were the only things separating her from the redhead. She looked to her left and saw various doors, however only one had a note on it. She approached the door and read the word “bodyguard” scrawled on the note in Sharpie. “Guess this is me,” she muttered as she tore the note off the door and entered her new room. It was fine, definitely bigger than any trailer park room she had lived in during her time in the Southside. The walls were white, there was a moderately sized window on one side, and the other side was occupied by a modest full size bed with grey bedding, and a standard sized closet. Not noticing a bathroom, Toni stepped back out into the hallway and found a small guest bathroom a few feet from her room. She entered it and turned the light on to examine her reflection in the mirror. She definitely had seen better days, and just wanted to go to sleep, but she couldn’t. Her mind was still racing, and the thought that Cheryl was so close to her, just on the other side of those large oak doors, had her heart thumping erratically. “Maybe I should just go make sure she’s okay,” Toni spoke to her reflection. Sighing, she exited the bathroom and slowly approached the heavy doors which shielded Cheryl from the rest of the world. She opened one of them quietly and was able to get it a quarter way ajar before it squeaked. Toni froze in place and peered towards the bed. No movement. She lithely slithered through the crack in the door and tiptoed into the room. It was far larger than her room and had a panoramic view of the city, intercoastal, and South Beach. At one end of the room was an expansive balcony which overlooked the backyard and pool area, and on the other a king bed covered with a thick, white comforter and many pillows. Had Toni not assumed that Cheryl was there, she would never have guessed by looking at the bed. She slowly made her way around the bed and was met with the sight of a tearful, sleeping Cheryl. She truly looked like a fallen angel, with her smeared makeup and tear stained cheeks. Toni swore she could quite literally feel her heart breaking knowing she was the cause of the redhead’s sadness. She exhaled shakily, looking around the room to distract herself from the sleeping girl in front of her. She noticed a vanity over towards what she assumed was the ensuite bathroom and crept towards it. The vanity was covered with various trinkets and makeup but was meticulously organized. There were expensive rings, bracelets, perfume, everything a woman could ever want. But Toni’s eyes paid most attention to the personal details, like the framed photo of Cheryl and who she assumed to be her brother, Jason. They looked almost identical, and Toni couldn’t help the smile that overtook her face as she noticed the huge grin on Cheryl’s face as Jason grabbed her from behind, looking ready to throw her into what Toni recognized to be Sweetwater River. Next to the photo was another framed photo of Cheryl and an older woman posing tastefully in front of a beautifully decorated, red Christmas tree. The older woman with one crimson streak through her white hair seemed too old to be Cheryl’s mother, and since Cheryl hated her mother Toni assumed the woman must be her grandmother. They both seemed so peaceful and content together, smiling softly at the camera as Cheryl hugged the older woman in her elegant wheelchair. There were so many layers to this girl she had only known for a few hours, and Toni had the irresistible desire to know every part of her, to peel back the many layers that were the Blossom heiress. She sighed sadly, heart still heavy from the night’s events. She was about to leave the room when she had an idea. Quietly opening the drawers to the vanity, she found a pack of makeup wipes. Slowly, she walked towards where Cheryl lay and crouched down to gently run the makeup wipe across her face. It only took a couple of minutes for Cheryl’s face to be cleared of any remaining tear marks and makeup. Upon finishing, Toni stood up, but not before leaning in to place a chaste kiss on Cheryl’s forehead. Toni felt her heart skip a beat as she pulled away and Cheryl stirred lightly, sighing breathily in her sleep. After a few seconds, Toni figured she was still fast asleep and quietly exited the master bedroom to try and get some of her own beauty rest, fully aware that her efforts would likely be in vain._

_Shaking her head as her thoughts returned to the task at hand, Toni grabbed Nicolas’ note from her bedroom and entered Cheryl’s room just as quietly as she had done a few hours before. Luckily she was fast asleep, and Toni quickly but softly padded through her room and gingerely places the folded note on top of the vanity. With one more look at Cheryl’s peaceful sleeping figure, she exited the room and gently but speedily closed the door behind her, fearing Vad’s ridiculous loudness would cause Cheryl to wake up._

 

“Fuck,” Toni grunted as she all but threw the cardboard box of clothing onto her bed. _I need to get the hell out of these clothes_ , she thought as she rummaged through the box for a pair of shorts. “Oh, thank you Jesus,” she whispered to herself as she pulled out a pair of blue, denim Levi shorts. She hastily peeled the leather off of her sweaty body and changed, leaving her in her muscle tee, which left her ribs and sports bra exposed, and shorts. She was thankful that the Bureau was able to get some of her belongings to her “studio,” which really was just a safehouse in some random apartment complex near the Turnpike intended to masquerade as her actual home during her undercover operation. She was even more thankful that they had Sweet Pea or Fangs deliver her motorcycle to the safehouse. She had no idea how long this operation would last and the mere thought of being away from her bike for an extended period of time made her heart ache. Shaking herself from her thoughts, she skipped downstairs to retrieve the remaining boxes from the car. _The least that ugly piece of wonder bread could do is help me_ , Toni thought as she stepped out into the blistering heat once again. The guy didn’t even help her pack up her stuff when they arrived at the apartment, rather opting to just sit in the car doing God knows what, which, in retrospect, was actually a blessing because it gave Toni time to call her office from the secure landline installed in the room.

 

 _“Federal Bureau of Investigation Miami, how may I direct your call_ ?” _the bored receptionist drawled from the other side of the line._

 

_“Agent Topaz calling for Chief Jones.”_

 

_At the mention of her name, the receptionist quickly perked up, “Oh, we’ve been expecting you. One moment…”_

 

_Toni tapped her foot impatiently on the carpeted floor as she discreetly peered through the faded blinds. Just as she suspected, Vad was still lazily waiting in the car._

 

_“Topaz. I heard you had quite the night,” Chief Jones’ gruff voice sounded over the line. “You could say that…” Toni replied, “I’m at the safehouse gathering my items now and will be leaving shortly.”_

 

_“Very good. Jughead informed us of the craziness of last night, and I must say, Agent, job well done on infiltrating St. Clair’s inner circle so quickly. But also...thank you for keeping my boy safe…” Toni quirked an eyebrow - so that’s why the kid has a job with the Bureau…._

 

_“Anyways, what’s the latest?” questioned the Chief. Toni took a breath before replying, “As you are aware from Jughead’s report, I have been tasked with protecting St. Clair’s...woman…” the phrase sounded so odd coming out of her mouth in light of the intense feelings she harbored for said woman, “...Apparently he left for Medellin last night, citing Escobar’s expanding cartel as the reason.”_

 

_“I see. We have some Agents following Escobar’s every move, but I’ll assign some to tail St. Clair as well. Ya know, extradition is a tricky thing, especially with the Colombian government's...inability...to cooperate at times. With that said, anything potentially incriminating you can dig up within the mansion or from the lady that could help us in luring St. Clair back to the states is crucial. If we had something tangible, we could set up a sting and arrest him here. That way, we could avoid a potentially dangerous situation and we wouldn’t have to call any widows.”_

 

_Toni nodded as she listened, “Sounds good. I’m sure St. Clair must have an office somewhere in the mansion.”_

 

_“Great, but make sure you milk the little lady for info. Maybe we could bring her in and pressure her to snitch on St. Clair in exchange for immunity. Narco wives do love to talk the most,” Chief Jones commented crassly. Toni clenched her fist. She knew there was no way she’d be able to manipulate Cheryl like that, even though it’s literally what she’s been trained to do. Get the intel by any means necessary and bring the scum to justice. “With all due respect, sir, I don’t believe she knows anything about St. Clair or his business. As you know, he’s barely in Miami and she seems to be more of a housewife than an actual lover,” Toni asserted. She wasn’t lying, she really did think what she was saying was true. But she also knew she was deflecting the investigation away from Cheryl in order to protect her, and she couldn’t help but feel slightly guilty about it._

 

_“Whatever you say, just keep your ears and eyes peeled- Alright, alright! Coming! -I got to go now, something about a meeting with the Secretary of State. You know which number to call if you need back up in case of an emergency. Good luck, Topaz.”_

 

_“Thank you, Chief.” Toni hung up the phone and scurried around the cramped room, placing the cardboard boxes on top of the twin bed and hastily shoving her belongings into them._

 

Four boxes and a guitar later, Toni’s sweaty body flopped down on the bed as she brought in the last of her stuff from the car. She lay there panting. She was hot, tired, and wanted this day to be over already. Not to mention, she had a whole angry Cheryl to deal with. Suddenly, her mind drafted back to Vad.

 

_Where is the idiot anyways?_

 

She got up from the bed, her bones cracking as she did so, and jogged down the staircase to find the guy and tell him she was done. The living room was empty other than for the ornate furniture and artwork which decorated it. She made her way over to the kitchen, expecting him to be there shoving his face with food that wasn’t his, but upon entering noticed it was empty too. She was about to turn and check the driveway, when movement caught her eye through the many large kitchen windows overlooking the veranda and backyard. Vad was by the pool, perched on a lounge chair and leaning in as if he was speaking with someone closely, but Toni couldn’t make out who, so she stepped further into the kitchen, and to the right a little-

 

Cheryl.

 

Sweet Cheryl was sitting there in an umbrella-covered lounge chair with her red one piece swimsuit and sun hat on, book in lap, looking extremely uncomfortable as _fucking Vad_ was leaning in to her so closely that he was almost on top of her. Toni’s anger flared and just as she thought it couldn’t get any worse, the neanderthal placed his grubby, meaty hand on Cheryl’s flawless, bare porcelain thigh. Everything around Toni went silent, and all she could hear was the ringing in her ears as she let her instincts take over. Grabbing a large butcher knife from its block on the way out, she marched through the kitchen doors onto the veranda. Neither Vad nor Cheryl noticed the infuriated biker approaching, until she was two feet behind Vad and Cheryl looked up at Toni with an expression that quickly morphed from anxious to relieved.

 

“Get your hands off her, Q-Tip,” Toni growled in Vad’s ear as she grabbed his shirt collar with one hand and held the knife up to his throat with the other. He stiffened, not hearing her approach, and quickly complied, sitting up straight carefully as Toni applied more pressure to his throat with the blade of the knife. “I was just kidding around, calm down,” he stated nonchalantly, trying to play the entire thing off, but Toni knew what she saw, saw the foreign, uneasy expression on Cheryl’s gorgeous face, and she was finally done with Vad’s bullshit. “Shut the fuck up,” she hissed, “Now here’s what’s gonna happen, you’re going to leave the property and if you’re not gone within five seconds I’m going to skin you alive, understood?”

 

Vad chuckled darkly, “Yeah, right. As if you could kill me. Have you forgotten who our boss is-” Toni pulled harder on his shirt collar and raised her knee to apply pressure to his back, effectively choking him. “You think he’s gonna care if I kill you? You’re nothing but a disposable, lazy chauffeur. Once I tell him why I had to slit your throat, he’s gonna be happy I fed your body to the gators in the Everglades” Toni growled mere inches from the side of his face.

 

“You crazy bitch-” Vad started, but before he could get any further with his insult, Toni skillfully applied pressure to the tip of the butcher knife and sliced a one inch incision into Vad’s throat, stopping short of a major artery. Vad cried out in pain as his blood spilled onto his white shirt, but Toni ignored him, leaning down to whisper in his ear-

 

“One.”

 

Vad fell out of the lounge chair and tripped over his own feet as he stumbled, sprinting towards the SUV while holding his throat. Toni stood there, watching him with smug satisfaction. It wasn’t until she heard him start the car and peel out of the driveway that she finally released the breath she was holding. After he was gone, she reluctantly turned to look at Cheryl, who was already staring at her with an expression Toni couldn’t quite read...but it almost looked like...was it...adoration? “I’m sorry you had to see that…” she broke the silence, “...are you okay?” she asked, concern lacing her voice.

 

Upon hearing Toni’s voice, Cheryl was broken out of her trance and was about to speak when something on Toni’s ribs caught her eye. Toni looked at Cheryl with a perplexed expression, then down in confusion, wondering what in the world could have distracted her-

 

The Serpent tattoo. It was on full display. On her ribs. Right under her bra. _Great shirt selection, jackass._

 

Toni discreetly moved her arm to cover the tattoo hoping it would break Cheryl out of her staring contest with it. Luckily, her plan had the desired effect. Cheryl blinked a couple times and cleared her throat as her eyes moved back up to lock with Toni’s. “I-I’m alright, T.T. Well, I am now. Thank you for saving me from that pig,” Cheryl told her sincerely. Toni nodded and was about to respond with a “you’re welcome” but the words died on her tongue as Cheryl removed her sunhat, stood up, and approached Toni, stopping half a foot in front of her. At this proximity, their height difference was palpable, especially because Toni wasn’t wearing her combat boots. Cheryl looked down at her, her previous expression returning to her features.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realize what he was doing sooner...” Toni said as she looked up at Cheryl, the sun shining beautifully on her face and accentuating the barely visible freckles which adorned her cheeks. “No…” Cheryl began, “...you are...your timing was perfect,” she stated softly, and Toni literally felt the world stop spinning as Cheryl leaned in and closed the distance between them to place a sensual kiss on Toni’s cheek, only the kiss landed too close to the corner of Toni’s mouth for it to be anywhere near platonic. As if Cheryl could hear Toni’s thoughts, she let her lips linger, before pulling away to stare down at Toni dreamily. “My knight in leather armor,” she whispered, smiling at the pink haired biker. While Cheryl seemed completely composed and unaffected by their closeness, Toni, on the other hand, thought she had died and gone to heaven. Her head was fucking spinning. How could one woman cause her brain to short circuit so quickly and with such minimal effort? All Toni could see, hear, and think was Cheryl. She was drowning in everything that was her and she fucking loved it. The smell of her Chanel perfume mixed with sunscreen and something else that was so unmistakably and uniquely **_Cheryl_ **had her mind reeling.

 

“I- …” Toni stuttered, feeling high all of a sudden, “...anytime…” They stared at each other, saying nothing out loud but everything with their eyes. Toni’s eyes flitted between Cheryl’s eyes and her plump, nude lips, and all she could think about in that moment was kissing those lips, kissing them until the need for air became too great, only to repeat the process and kiss them again, and again, and again, and again-

 

The sharp sound of the butcher knife dropping to the limestone floor made both of them jump slightly. “Shit, sorry about that,” Toni tripped over her own feet as she bent over to ungracefully pick up the knife. Cheryl just watched her with an amused expression. “Well, uh…” Toni muttered, scratching the back of her neck with her free hand, “I guess I should go...uh, boil this knife...” Cheryl simply arched a perfectly shaped eyebrow and quirked her head to the side, clearly trying to stop herself from laughing at Toni’s antics. For someone who seemed to be so cool, calm, and collected all the time, this was very unlike Toni, and Cheryl found it absolutely endearing - not to mention she **_loved_ ** knowing she had this effect on her rough and tumble bodyguard. Toni felt the blush creeping onto her face as she realized she was making a complete and utter fool of herself. _Thank God I’m darker skinned or else I’d be redder than her suit...which looks really amazing on her perfect - STOP!_

 

“Bye, Cheryl,” Toni stated suddenly and quickly turned on her heel to march towards the mansion while shaking her head. She could hear Cheryl’s heavenly giggles from behind her.

 

_Boil this knife. Smooth, Topaz, just really smooth._

 


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's been a tough day. RIP to Luke Perry, my thoughts are with his family, the cast, and those who loved him. 
> 
> And sorry for the wait on this one, guys. Life got crazy. So far the story's really only been over the course of a day or so, which is going to change in the next chapter as things will speed up a bit. 
> 
> Also, apologies for the angst. As always, give the song in this chapter a listen (it's great, especially at full volume), and feel free to comment.

_“Fear no more, says the heart, committing its burden to some sea, which sighs collectively for all sorrows, and renews, begins, collects, lets fall…”_

 

Breathing deeply, Cheryl reread the words on the page. She had been staring at this singular line for so long, she hadn’t realized the sun had began its ritualistic descent over the skyscrapers of downtown Miami, causing the sky to transform from clear blue to orange and pink. She looked up, taking in the colors beginning to form above her.

 

 _Twilight_.

 

This time of day was truly her favorite, in large part because Florida never failed to deliver on magnificent sunsets, no matter the season or time of year, but also because it reminded her of the moments she had spent at Sweetwater River with Jason, watching the sun rise from the East and settle in the West.

 

She gingerly shut her worn copy of _Mrs. Dalloway_ and glanced towards the house. She hadn’t seen Toni in a couple hours, not since their moment by the pool. They had so much to discuss, so many issues left to resolve, more issues likely to arise, but she couldn’t find it within herself to care. Other than Jason, know one had ever cared for her and defended her the way Toni had. When that ignoramus had been harassing her, she was frozen in fear, until Toni came to her rescue, and all she could do then was stare in awe as fearless Toni Topaz commanded the situation, making a grown man three times her size flee in terror, and she did it all just for Cheryl. Not because she was her bodyguard, this she knew. There had been plenty of instances when Cheryl found herself in a less than desirable situation with one of Nic’s overtly forward goons or associates, and neither Ricky nor anyone around her ever cared to assist. But Toni, she was different.

 

_Are you surprised though? You knew she was different from the start, ever since you kissed her last night._

 

She felt almost a little guilty having been the cause of Toni’s flustered state earlier, but she simply couldn’t help herself. She was overcome with a feeling of pure adoration for the woman. Even when she noticed her Serpent tattoo, the feelings of malice and resentment that were present before did not surface, but rather the sight of the ink etched onto Toni’s perfect, smooth skin had piqued her interest. She wanted to know everything there was to know about the pink haired gang member. Sure, Toni had told her about her life, but the story lacked detail, and Cheryl felt deep down in her gut that there was more to her than she was letting on.  

 

_“Fear no more, says the heart…”_

 

Virginia Woolf’s words replayed in her mind. Time was fleeting, and she could count on one hand the number of times in her life when she had felt truly happy. Just being around Toni made her feel safe and content. All of her life’s traumas, from J.J. to the Sisters, didn’t completely vanish, but Toni was like the soothing aloe on a fresh sunburn. She made everything hurt less, and Cheryl wasn’t prepared to let someone like her, so special and genuine, go without a fight.

 

 _You’re not loveless. You’re not an emotional anorexic. You’re fully capable of giving and receiving love. And Toni makes you_ **_want_ ** _to._

 

With a deep sigh, she knew what she needed to do, and that was finally talk about what happened last night. Despite her stellar vocabulary, she had never done well at expressing her true emotions. Deflection was her artform, and even though it allowed her to avoid addressing her feelings during her short yet tumultuous life, she no longer wished to live in a constant state of denial. She wanted to **_live_ **, to embrace herself and and her truth, and at this point in her life, with her long-awaited financial stability and independence, she felt like she could finally start doing exactly that - the only missing piece was somewhere inside that mansion, giving Cheryl the space she somehow knew she needed.

 

_You’ve really struck gold with her, kid. Now go, make things right._

 

She rose from the lounge chair, stretching her arms above her head. She gracefully shrugged on her sheer, white cover up robe, collected her belongings and strutted towards the veranda doors which led to the kitchen. Gently closing the doors behind her and placing her items on top of the kitchen counter, she glided towards the staircase. She reached the top of the stairs and was slightly startled when she heard the unexpected yet soft strum of an acoustic guitar. She turned towards the source of the noise, listening intently in an attempt to pinpoint its exact location. Slowly tiptoeing down the hallway, she came across a door that was slightly ajar. Craning her neck, she peered inside.

 

On the bed sat Toni Topaz, freshly showered and sporting a distressed, black CBGB shirt and dark grey sweatpants. She looked completely relaxed as she strummed the steel strings of her Fender. Cheryl knew she was creeping, but she couldn’t stop herself. The girl looked simply angelic, as the sunset’s hues reflected beautifully off of her damp, pink hair and she skillfully plucked those beautiful noises out of that instrument, which was gentle yet firm, with steel and metal, much like Toni herself.

 

_Soft yet rough in the best way._

 

Any will power she thought she possessed which would allow her to turn and leave Toni quickly evaporated as she heard her raspy voice begin to sing quietly.

 

 _“And I need you now tonight, and I need you more than ever,”_ Toni sang perfectly, “ _And if you only hold me tight, we’ll be holding on forever.”_

 

Her voice was sweet like honey, yet it had a rough comfort to it, similar to sand on a beach, and Cheryl was instantly hooked. It melted perfectly with the guitar. All of a sudden, it struck her that she recognized the song Toni was singing, and the irony was not lost on her. She thought back to the innumerable amount of times she demanded Nic to “turn off that ridiculous duet” because it had simply become too annoying for her to bear. And yet here she was, enjoying every second of Toni’s _Total Eclipse of the Heart_ rendition. Perhaps because she felt as if Toni was singing to her directly. If this was any indication of her feelings towards the Serpent, it was safe to say she was completely and irrevocably enamored with her. Just by existing, Toni had the ability to just breathe life into things, to add color where there is only grey, and Cheryl felt that much like the song, Toni had awoken something within her.  

 _  
_ _“And we'll only be making it right 'cause we'll never be wrong together. We can take it to the end of the line, your love is like a shadow on me all of the time,”_ Toni began to strum a bit harder, as she built up to the final lines of the chorus.

 

 _“I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark. We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks,”_ she sang forcefully, using her diaphragm to hit the right notes, “ _I really need you tonight, forever’s gonna start tonight_ ”-

 

Toni suddenly stopped playing and quickly turned her head to the left as she heard a sound come from the doorway.

 

Cheryl cursed under her breath. Much to her chagrin, she had been so enraptured by the biker she hadn’t realized her body was leaning further and further into the room, so much so that she bumped into the door.

 

With soft eyes, Toni regarded her for a few moments and began quietly strumming the guitar while continuing to look at Cheryl. It may have been an actual song or a random assortment of chords, either way it sounded heavenly. Cheryl, conversely, was having a deer in the headlights moment. She wasn’t sure what to say, but she could feel Toni patiently waiting for her to break their silence. Luckily, she let her off the hook.

 

“How long have you been standing there, Cheryl?” Toni inquired gently, not in an accusatory manner, but in a way that almost made her sound amused. Cheryl stepped further into the room, realizing that she probably looked strange in her current position.

 

“Apologies for interrupting,” she said innocently, biting her lip, “It’s just, I heard you playing and I couldn’t resist. You play, and sing, beautifully, Toni.” Despite her caramel skin, Cheryl noticed a slight blush tint Toni’s cheeks.

 

“Thank you,” she replied timidly, “it’s just a little hobby of mine, helps me clear my mind,” she smiled at Cheryl as her fingers strummed the strings on instinct.

 

Cheryl shifted uncomfortably as an awkward silence settled between them. She knew she had yet to clear the air with Toni. The poor girl probably had whiplash from her mood swings - one minute she’s screaming at her for something that was neither her fault nor her doing, and the next she’s kissing her by the pool.

 

_Fear no more, Cheryl. C’mon._

 

“Ya know,” Cheryl looked towards Toni at the sound of her voice, “you can stay and listen, if you want. No pressure, though,” Toni offered nonchalantly.

 

Cheryl didn’t even have to contemplate an answer, she just smiled softly and slowly entered Toni’s room. Looking around for a moment, she decided to sit in the love seat near the window, even though the bed was very inviting (due to its occupant), she felt that may be too much for them right now. She sat in the love seat and tucked her legs under her as she adjusted the cover up around her body. Toni was still softly strumming the guitar and staring at Cheryl. The attention made her feel a bit self conscious, which was foreign to her.

 

“What is it?” she asked, as the pink haired girl watched her with an expression she couldn’t decipher.

 

Toni shook her head slightly, “I’m sorry…it’s just...the glow from the sunset behind you makes you look…” Toni paused and chuckled to herself, the vibrato sending chills up Cheryl’s spine “...makes you look even more gorgeous, if that’s even possible.”

 

Cheryl felt the blush travel from her cheeks down to her neck, ducking her head in embarrasement. Thankfully, Toni spared her by quickly changing the subject, “So, any requests?”

 

“Hmm…” Cheryl pondered, “Not really, I’m sure I’ll be happy with anything you choose.” Toni didn’t need any more prompting, as she seamlessly transitioned into a light hearted melody. And there they sat, Toni playing various songs, some Cheryl didn’t recognize, others she did, such as Emmylou Harris and Elton John. At one point, unable to resist an opportunity to make the redhead smile, Toni pretended to tip her nonexistent hat as she dove right into Johnny Cash’s “Jackson.” Cheryl giggled heartily and beamed at Toni, throwing a nearby pillow at her, which Toni dodged without breaking rhythm. “Alright, cowboy,” Cheryl rolled her eyes while trying to contain her laughter.

 

After thirty minutes or so of what Cheryl considered to be pure bliss, she knew she couldn’t avoid talking to Toni any longer. She was being so patient with her, fully aware that they had much to discuss but waiting for Cheryl to be ready.

 

_Go on, kid. She’s still here, sitting in front of you, waiting for you. You haven’t scared her off, and you won’t. Go ahead._

 

“T-Toni…” Cheryl began hesitantly. Toni simply looked up at her from the guitar, waiting for her to continue.

 

“Can we...can we talk?”

 

Toni stopped playing, “Of course,” she replied as she gently placed the guitar on the floor to lean against the bedside table.

 

Cheryl took a deep breath, gathering all of her courage. “I just….I’m sorry about last night, T.T., truly. I feel as if I allowed my emotions to get the better of me, and as a result I was cruel to you when you didn’t deserve it. Everything was...a lot. I told you things I never speak about with anyone and finding out that you’re a Serpent...I was overwhelmed, to say the least, but that doesn’t excuse my behavior. I guess what I’m trying to say...is that I’m sorry. I hope you can forgive me,” Cheryl bit her lip as she looked up at Toni expectantly, who sighed in relief.

 

“C’mere, Cher,” Toni demanded lightly as she patted the spot next to her on the bed. Cheryl rose slowly and walked the few feet to Toni’s bed, gingerly sitting next to her. She turned her body towards her, waiting for Toni to speak.

 

“I appreciate the apology, Cheryl, I really do, and I want to say I’m sorry too. I feel so terrible about last night and everything that happened with your family, and I just want you to know that I had no idea before you told me. I wasn’t even in Riverdale when all of this happened, or else I would’ve known about it...but regardless, I’d like to apologize on behalf of the Serpents. For all the suffering they’ve caused you. If I could fix it, I really would,” Toni expressed emotionally while maintaining eye contact with the redhead, who was touched by Toni’s vulnerability and selflessness. She was apologizing for something that had nothing to do with her.

 

“It’s quite alright, T.T.” Cheryl gave her a misty eyed smile. Toni returned the gesture with a smile of her own, looking into warm brown eyes. There was so much Toni desired from life beyond her career, and the girl in front of her had already become so important to her. She was relieved that her and Cheryl had cleared the air between them, but she was still scared, not only of her feelings for the fiery redhead, but also of the danger she could put Cheryl in down the road. There were so many uncertainties that lay ahead - for instance, she had no idea when Nicolas would return from Medellin, or what would happen if someone in his crew caught wind that Cheryl and her bodyguard were more than just acquaintances. Nor did she have any idea how Nicolas’ sting would go down. There were plenty of leaks within the enforcement agencies - the police department, DEA, FBI; you name it - and if a sting were to be set up, someone could tip St. Clair and his men off, which would surely cause blood to spill in the streets. The thought of Cheryl caught up in any of the literal and figurative crossfire made her heart beat erratically and a cold sweat break out on the back of her neck. Just going undercover alone was dangerous enough, but going undercover and stealing the Narco’s woman too? That was just irresponsible.

 

She suddenly remembered that she still had a burning question to ask the girl before her.

 

“Cher...can I ask you something?”

 

“Certainly.”

 

“You and Nicolas…” Toni paused in order to phrase her question appropriately, “...what exactly is going on there?”

 

Cheryl rolled her eyes, unable to help herself. “He...him and I are not together, if that’s what you mean...” Toni let out a sigh of relief as her suspicions were confirmed. “It’s a bit complicated, but I fled Riverdale and moved to Miami with a couple thousand dollars to my name, thanks to a dear friend, and nowhere to go. Thankfully, said friend also connected me to Carlos, who, as infuriating as he was sometimes, allowed me to stay with his grandmother and work at his nightclub...which is the Mutiny, actually.”

 

Toni’s eyes widened in surprise. She couldn’t even begin to imagine Cheryl, in all her elegance and beauty, sporting a tacky, sequin dress uniform and tending to all the slimeballs who frequent the establishment.

 

“I know, hard to believe, right?” Cheryl asked rhetorically, as if she could read the biker’s mind. “Anywho, after about a few months of working there, I met Nic. We chatted for a bit, and well long story short he offered me protection from my vile, vengeful mother and a life of luxury, for a price of course. He asked that I live with him, tend to his home, and keep him company while he was in Miami. And here I’ve been, doing just that for the past year.”

 

Toni nodded imperceptibly. It all made sense, and with the information Cheryl divulged last night, it did seem her mother had it in her to come looking for her daughter with intentions that were less than one would expect from an actual caring mother. However, there was another question she was dying to ask, and, to be honest, she hated herself for it. Between last night and now she was able to convince herself that the best way to keep Cheryl safe was to keep her at arm’s length. The little hiccup by the pool earlier was exactly that, and Toni’s brain was so clouded with adrenaline and endorphins she couldn’t stop herself from indulging in Cheryl’s closeness. And yet, here she was, dying to ask her a question that would certainly betray the boundaries she was attempting, but failing, to establish. To be fair though, she was never one for listening to the angel on her shoulder.

 

“Uh..have you two ever...ya know…are you- I’m sorry, nevermind-” she stuttered.

 

“Toni, it’s fine,” Cheryl gently placed her hand on Toni’s forearm to stop her nervous rambling, which had its desired effect. “I-I feel like I can be honest with you, and I want to be. I want you to know me, and I feel as if part of that is me telling you things that make me uncomfortable...but I feel I can because you make me so comfortable, if that makes sense?”

 

Toni nodded while staring into the warm brown pools of Cheryl’s eyes, “It-it makes sense.” Cheryl smiled softly, staring back at warm brown eyes which mirrored her own.

 

“And, to answer your earlier, less than fully formed inquiry, Nic and I have never...been intimate,“ Cheryl blushed, looking away briefly. “We’ve only ever fooled around a couple of times, but that was after drinking too much and it was never more than what one would categorize as a PG-rated grope session. As a matter of fact, and perhaps you’ve inferred as much, “Cheryl chuckled lightly,” but...I’m a….I’m a l-lesbian...”

 

Had Toni not been listening to Cheryl’s every word with rapt attention, she wouldn’t have heard the last part as she muttered it.

 

“Wow,” Cheryl sighed shakily, “I’ve never said that out loud, let alone told someone as much. My mother always told me I was deviant for how I felt about women,” She looked at Toni with pleading and hopeful eyes, almost as if she were begging her not to judge. However, she quickly averted her gaze to look down at her lap.

 

“Hey, look at me,” Toni demanded lightly, and Cheryl complied, “There’s nothing wrong with that, okay? You’re not deviant and it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Your mom is a total bitch, no offense.” Cheryl giggled softly, “It’s her loss for not seeing how amazing you are, inside and out, Cher. Like I told you last night, you, Miss Blossom, are absolutely sensational, and I feel really lucky you felt comfortable enough to share that with me,” Toni gently reached up and brushed a strand of loose hair behind Cheryl’s ear. The redhead subtly shivered at the Serpent’s small yet tender gesture.

 

“T-thank you. That means more to me than you will ever know.” Cheryl breathed. Hoping to break the tension that had settled within the room, she turned the conversation towards Toni.

 

“What about you? Are you…” Cheryl hesitated, not wanting to offend the woman. Thankfully, ever the intuitive one, Toni knew what she was trying to ask her.

 

“I’m pretty sure I’m bisexual. I mean, I find myself attracted to guys and girls, but…” Toni smirked and leaned in as if she was divulging top secret, classified information, “...I’ve always been more into girls.”

 

Cheryl gulped, her mind suddenly clouding with Toni’s sudden proximity and the words that accompanied it.

 

“H-how many… have you been w-wtih many women?” Cheryl tried to ask casually but her usual eloquence failed her as images of her- of Toni in bed with women flashed through her mind. She couldn’t help the pang of jealousy she felt at the thought, nor could she help the light warmth forming in her lower abdomen.

 

Toni couldn’t resist a moment to tease the visibly flustered girl before her, “Weeellllll…” she drawled, “Do you really want me to answer that? You’re looking a little flushed, princess.” she teased lightly, and almost regretted it as she saw a deep blush overtake Cheryl’s porcelain skin. “Hey, hey I’m sorry. I was only playing. Are you okay?”

 

Cheryl took a deep breath, exhaling shakily, “Y-yes...it’s just- well...I’ve…” Biting her lower lip, Cheryl paused for a moment to collect her thoughts.

 

“I don’t know what it’s like to be with a woman….in that way...” Toni cocked her head to the side slightly, making sure to maintain eye contact with the redhead.

 

“You and Heather never…?”

 

As if Cheryl couldn’t get any redder, she did.

 

“No!” she exclaimed a little too forcefully, “No, never. I mean, we kissed plenty of times, but nothing more than that,” Cheryl bit her lip in slight embarrassment. Toni was somewhat surprised to see the usually confident, flirty bombshell turn into a nervous wreck at the thought of having sex with a woman. It was uncharacteristic based off her past interactions with the girl, but she found it endearing.

 

“That’s okay, Cher. You have nothing to be embarrassed about. Your curiosity is natural, trust me. Once I realized I was into girls, I  turned my best friend’s trailer upside down looking for Playboys,” Cheryl giggled merrily at Toni’s unabashedly scandalous admission. “And yes, to answer your question, I’ve been with...many women,” Toni stated, feeling like she should have omitted the “many” but her desire to be honest with the redhead in any way possible overrode her interest in saving face.

 

She watched on as Cheryl’s facial expression morphed from nervous to curious, along with something else she couldn’t interpret. She also noticed Cheryl inch closer to her on the bed, not sure if the decision to do so was a conscious one.

 

“How do you know?,” Cheryl whispered, “I mean...how do you know what do when you’re...in bed….”

 

The atmosphere in the room shifted all of a sudden. Despite the house’s central air system blowing a cool 70 degrees, Toni felt **_hot_ **. You could cut the tension with a knife, as she and Cheryl stared at each other, the air thick, almost suffocating, with something she knew all too well. Once again, Cheryl had placed a spell over her, and her will power to break the moment quickly eroded as she watched a pink tongue dart out to wet pillowy, soft lips.

 

“It’s...it’s like, instinctual,” Toni rasped, lost between the deep, dark pools of Cheryl’s eyes and her pink lips, “The same way a lioness knows how to hunt prey, it’s just instinct, to me at least. Women are...breathtaking, and I love everything about them. They way they smell, taste. Their soft curves, sharp edges…and the noises. God, the noises they make. Breathy moans-”

 

Toni’s stream of consciousness was abruptly cut short as she felt those spellbinding plump lips against her own.

 

For the third time in 24 hours, Cheryl Blossom was kissing Toni Topaz.

 

Her lips were firm and insistent against Toni’s, a stark contrast to her nervous demeanor before. Toni couldn’t think or breath, as her lips moved against Cheryl’s. Her hands instinctually moved to grip Cheryl’s waste lightly, a grip which tightened significantly as she felt the redhead’s tongue dart out to nudge Toni’s top lip, asking for entrance. Toni quickly obliged and she heard Cheryl let out a small whimper as their tongues met, battling for dominance, which Cheryl quickly relinquished as Toni sat up straighter, tracing the roof of Cheryl’s mouth and tongue with her own. Toni was lost in a fucking trance, completely absorbed by all things Cheryl. Her taste, her smell, her lips, her slim waist beneath her hands - and she needed to feel **_more_ **.

 

The biker’s grip was almost bruising, as she pulled Cheryl towards her. Understanding Toni’s silent request, Cheryl moved to straddle Toni’s thigh, wrapping her arms around the pink-haired girl’s strong shoulders without breaking their kiss. Toni encircled her lithe yet muscular arms around Cheryl’s lower back and brought their bodies flush against each other as she deepened the kiss once again. Just when she thought it couldn’t get any more blissful than this, Cheryl subconsciously ground her hips down onto Toni’s thigh, which caused her to let out the most heavenly, breathy moan Toni’s ever heard. Needing to emit more of those same noises from the redhead, Toni lifted her thigh slightly so that it was firmly placed against Cheryl’s clothed center. Toni could feel the heat radiating from it, the only thing separating her from where Cheryl needed her the most was the thin red fabric of the heiress’ swimsuit. This time, Cheryl brought her hips down as Toni applied more pressure, which caused the redhead to break the kiss and let out a high pitched whimper into Toni’s ear as she buried her face into a caramel neck.

 

“T-Toni,” Cheryl moaned, almost unable to form words.

 

The sound of her voice jolted Toni out of her stupor, which quickly brought her to the present and what they were about to do. She suddenly opened her eyes, and sat there catching her breath as she simply held the flushed girl against her. They remained in the same position for several minutes, with Cheryl panting lightly, warm breaths hitting Toni’s neck, and Toni rubbing her back soothingly to calm her down. However, Toni’s mind was spinning. She chastised herself for losing control over the situation, but Cheryl was just **_intoxicating_ **.

 

_This isn’t how you protect her, Topaz. You need to keep your distance from her, no matter how much it hurts. Nothing can happen to her, ever._

 

Toni squeezed her eyes shut, knowing and hating that what she was about to do would betray her own feelings, and hurt both of them. At this point, it was safe to say that their connection was irresistible, and because of that it was also extremely fucking dangerous.

 

_Just like the song, we're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks._

 

Her heart clenched almost painfully at the thought of anything bad happening to the girl in her arms.

 

_I swear on my life, nothing will ever happen to you. That’s why I need to do this. I’m sorry._

 

“Cher,” Toni rasped and felt Cheryl’s body tremble slightly.

 

“Yes, T.T.” Cheryl replied in an almost dream like state, nuzzling further into her neck.

 

Toni swallowed thickly, “I’m sorry if this is confusing, but I think we need to keep things between us...strictly professional,” Toni squeezed her eyes shut again, expecting the worst. Cheryl suddenly went rigid in Toni’s arms, pulling back quickly as if she had been burned.

 

“Toni, open your eyes and look at me,” Cheryl demanded firmly. Toni complied, and looked up at the annoyed redhead, who in return was searching her face.

 

“Why are you saying that? I know that’s not what you want,” Cheryl accurately discerned, and Toni wondered for a second if the redhead was actually the FBI agent in this situation.

 

“Cheryl, just listen to me,” Cheryl waited patiently for her to continue, but she could already see the walls coming up over her heart.

 

“I have feelings for you, and fuck I care about you so much, but we...we can’t be together,” Toni internally winced as she saw the hurt flash across Cheryl’s face at her words. Before she could say anything further, Cheryl was up and off of her lap, heading for the door.

 

“Wait!” Cheryl stopped and turned to look at Toni with tears in her eyes. The biker stood from the bed on shaky legs and approached the girl, making sure to keep her distance.

 

“Please, Cheryl. Just stop and listen-”

 

“I heard you, Toni. No need to add insult to injury,” Cheryl replied harshly.

 

“It’s not what you think, Cher. It’s….” she ran her hands through her hair pulling at the roots in frustration. She was dying to come clean to the girl. It was already painful having to keep this secret from her, and now this. Toni could feel her heart breaking knowing that she was causing the woman of her dreams more pain.

 

_You have to do this, Topaz. A few years from now she’ll be happy and alive, married with a family, dog, and white picket fence, and it’ll be all because you pushed her away in this moment. Stop being selfish. Do it for her._

 

“Cheryl, I...I can’t tell you about everything,” Toni stated while staring into Cheryl’s eyes imploringly with her own watery ones, “But please, trust me. Can you do that? Just believe me when I say you can’t get too close to me. It’s dangerous...and I-I hope I can tell you everything one day but...I-I just can’t right now.”

 

Cheryl clenched her jaw, blinking back tears.

 

“You’re being selfish, Toni,” Cheryl growled through her teeth, closing the distance between them and pushing Toni’s shoulder angrily. Toni attempted to gently grab her hand, but she pulled it away furiously.

 

“Cher, please. I just need this right now, okay? Maybe down the road we can revisit us, but not now.”

 

Cheryl sniffed and steeled herself, “Perhaps there is no ‘down the road’, Toni!” she all but yelled. “You need to decide what you really want, because it’s either me or this stupid job with Nic,” she roughly wiped the tears from her cheeks. Toni was attempting to form a response to Cheryl’s ultimatum when the redhead said something she never would have expected in a million years.

 

“I’m falling in love with you, Toni,” Cheryl rasped out, overcome with emotion. “Once Nic returns from Colombia I’m leaving him.” Toni was about to interject, but Cheryl held up a perfectly manicured hand, stopping her.

 

“My father left everything to me in his will,” Toni’s jaw dropped, not expecting that.

 

“Cher, that’s grea-” Toni stopped herself as Cheryl held up her hand once again.

 

“No, now it’s your turn to listen to me,” Cheryl bit the inside of her cheek and shook her head while looking at the biker with sad, doe eyes, “I’m ready to move back to Riverdale, Toni, to live the life that’s always been torn away from me, and once Nic returns I’m going to do exactly that…” she exhaled heavily, her eyes watering further, the anguish in them unmistakable.

 

“And I’m going to go, with or without you, T.T. I know what I want, and that’s two things...a life of my own...and you…” tears streamed down Toni’s cheeks as she listened to Cheryl bare her heart so openly, “But...I will not - I cannot - postpone my freedom because of your indecision...” silent tears were streaming down Cheryl’s face, which seemed to multiply as she uttered her next words-

 

“I will not wait for you, Toni.”

 

And with that, Cheryl turned and exited the bedroom, leaving her bodyguard with much to agonize over. Toni exhaled shakily, stumbling backwards and falling into the love seat, the dark sky behind her symbolic of her aching heart.  _  
_


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: suicide attempt
> 
> wow, i'm really sorry i haven't updated in 45 years. with school and finals coming up in May, things have been soooo busy. however, life will be pretty chill this summer so i'm looking forward to writing more frequently then. regardless, thanks for sticking with this story! i've pretty much got this entire fic mapped out and am already thinking about a sequel. 
> 
> hope you enjoy the update! as always, feel free to follow on twitter @pearlcadillac and leave a comment!
> 
> P.S. please heed the trigger warning! you can skip by going to where the line break is.

* * *

One month.

 

It had been a whole month since their argument in Toni’s bedroom, and the days went by slowly, to say the least.

 

They weren’t completely ignoring each other - because let’s face it, neither of them were capable - but despite Toni’s best efforts to return to normalcy (whatever that meant), the atmosphere hung heavy around them at times.

 

Most of her days were spent catering to Cheryl’s every whim - at times more so than what she imagined was required of her job. For example, she would cut fresh fruit for the redhead every morning, chauffeur her in her Impala (which Toni loved driving) to South Beach and Coral Gables, hold the her shopping bags as she swiped St. Clair’s credit card an innumerable amount of times at countless luxury designer boutiques. Essentially, Toni was at the girl’s beck and call, and to be honest...she didn’t mind. Rather, she found that she actually enjoyed it. To Toni, taking care of Cheryl in any way possible was the least she could do. Her guilt from _that night_ had yet to subside and she imagined it probably never would, even though she tried convincing herself that it was for the best. She had to constantly remind her self that she simply couldn’t risk anything bad happening to the girl, and that’s exactly what could happen if they became intertwined in the way she so desperately desired - at least during her undercover operation. Conversely, however, the more time she spent with Cheryl, the more she was forced to come to terms with the reality that she could never truly stay away from her.

 

Cheryl, on the other hand, had transitioned into HBIC mode and at times Toni was at a loss for how to handle her. Sometimes the girl had her walls so high, and there were plenty of instances Toni embarrassed herself while trying to break through the redhead’s icy exterior. For example, while Cheryl smoked her cigarette on the docks one cool evening, Toni thought it’d be a nice gesture to bring the girl a dirty martini, knowing how much she loved them and simply...why not? She was an ex-bartender, and knew for a fact her martinis were spectacular. Well, that is until Cheryl. Upon seeing Toni approach her on the dock, martini in hand, her eyes softened for the briefest of moments, before her steely gaze returned. Toni left the docks defeated that night, wondering why anyone would be mad at about two olives in a dirty martini.

 

Despite the bumps along the way, she still wanted to talk to Cheryl, to explain herself further. It wasn’t as if Toni had completely rejected her, she just meant now wasn’t a great time.

 

_Yeah, because you’re lying to her while trying to bring her drug dealing boyfriend to justice._

 

The more she thought about it, the more she couldn’t blame the Blossom heiress for being angry with her. The girl had been through a lot of shit in her life, more than anyone should experience really, and Toni was denying her a happiness she so desperately craved, and, if she was being completely honest with herself, she craved the redhead just as badly...if not more.

 

Whenever Toni was around, Cheryl would build her walls up, or when the Serpent’s penetrating gaze became too much, Cheryl would ask - actually, demand -  her to do something, effectively making Toni leave her alone. However, one thing life had taught Toni was how to be patient, and patient she was. She knew she couldn’t push the taller girl too much, and for that Cheryl was secretly grateful. Growing up with Penelope and Clifford Blossom at Thornhill, love was all or nothing. Pure adoration or distilled hate, and since things weren’t exactly black and white for the first time in her life, she wasn’t sure how to handle her emotions towards the pink-haired biker. It’s not as if she had completely rejected her, but she also kind of did for reasons still unbeknownst to her. At times, Cheryl could feel herself going mad trying to decipher the grey area between them. However, much to her chagrin, she found that even after an entire month of being both sad and angry with her bodyguard, she was still so incredibly _soft_ when it came to Toni. She had told Toni point blank that she wouldn’t wait for her, yet here she was, making little to no attempt to return to Riverdale. The most she had done on that front in the past month was contact an attorney at Veronica’s incessant urging.

 

_“I don’t know what you’re up to down there, but at least contact attorney McCoy so she can get your affairs in order for you.”_

 

_“I told you, Lodge. I’m waiting for Nic to return,” Cheryl quipped, almost feeling regret over being so rude to someone who had done nothing but help her._

 

_Veronica waited a few beats, choosing her words carefully before answering her short-tempered friend. “While I agree he has been helpful in keeping you hidden from any of Penelope’s prying ears or eyes, I know there’s more to it...and that’s fine, Cheryl. I don’t need to know...yet, at least. But for now, bombshell, all I’m saying is you should talk to an attorney so that your money is readily available for when you move back to Riverdale.”_

 

The rest of the conversation was much of the same, Veronica being level-headed and Cheryl taking out her frustrations on the brunette. Regardless, after some further convincing, she begrudgingly contacted attorney McCoy with the necessary information to get her finances and inheritance together.

 

That was it, though.

 

That was the extent of her progress, if you could call it that. The rest of her days were spent pining after her enigmatic, kind-hearted bodyguard. She often found herself staring longingly at the girl as she completed the most mundane tasks, such as cleaning the pool, changing the oil and filter on her cherry Impala, picking avocados from the tree in the backyard. She liked to think Toni was oblivious to her doe-eyed stares, but Toni, being the ever intuitive one, always knew when Cheryl was watching. However, she didn’t dare lock eyes with the younger girl, for fear that doing so would overwhelm her. She didn’t want to cause her more pain.

 

One month.

 

Four weeks of them dancing around each other and this thing between them.

 

That is until today.

 

It was 9:00 a.m. and Toni had just finished cutting up Cheryl’s daily bowl of fresh fruit, which included the finest mango, orange, honeydew, and melon the fertile soil of South Florida had to offer.

 

She placed the knife down and tidied up the kitchen a bit. After stacking all of the dirty dishes into the dishwasher, she thought it odd that Cheryl had yet to come down to the kitchen. Cheryl Blossom may be unpredictable at times, but if there’s one thing she loved it was a routine. She’d usually waltz into the kitchen around 8:45 a.m. on the dot, either freshly showered in a very fashionable, too thin silk robe or dressed for a run in a sports bra and sinfully small, high-waisted track shorts, thank Toni quietly for her breakfast, and sit out on the veranda to eat. Toni would never admit to this, even if she was being tortured, but the domesticity of it all pleased her to no end. Knowing she could help Cheryl, even if it was just through simple tasks and small gestures, made her feel _good_. She was absolutely smitten by the girl - now that she thought about, she had been since that night at the Mutiny. To this day she simply could not understand how someone could transition so seamlessly between vixen to absolutely adorable within seconds.

 

Like I said, she was smitten.

 

Toni just wished she could somehow break the awkward tension between them. Over the past couple of weeks, she had come to terms with the fact that ignoring her feelings for the younger girl was simply not feasible. She was like a fucking magnet and Toni the helpless metal. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t stop her heart from fluttering every time the redhead was near or when she inadvertently caught a whiff of her perfume.

 

Needless to say, she had a lot of groveling to do on the Cheryl front. Oh, and to add insult to injury, she had yet to make any progress on her investigation. Toni couldn’t help but internally groan whenever she thought about it. She really was trying, but it was hard with Cheryl around all of the time occupying her attention. Plus, she’d rather jump head first into the Everglades before asking Cheryl for any dirt on St. Clair. There was no way in hell she was going to implicate her like that, things were dangerous enough as is.

 

As the digital clock on the oven displayed 9:15 a.m., Toni sighed. Still no sign of Cheryl. Turning towards the kitchen island, she decided then she would just bring her breakfast in bed.

 

Upon reaching the top of the marble staircase, Toni knocked gently on the large doors of the master suite.

 

Five seconds went by.

 

Silence.

 

Toni knocked again, this time a bit firmer. “Cher?” she called out, “Are you awake? I have your fruit.”

 

Silence.

 

Toni bit her lip, wondering what she should do. Throwing caution to the wind, she slowly opened the door.

 

Upon entering the bright room, she could make out a slight lump in the bed. Figuring Cheryl was just sleeping in, she was about to release a sigh of relief before she heard the unmistakable sound of quiet sniffles.

 

As worry overtook her body, her legs carried her quickly around to the side of the bed occupied by the redhead. As she did, the sight before her made her want to vomit.

 

Cheryl was cuddled in the bed, comforter pulled up to her chin, as she cried quietly - but that wasn’t what made Toni sick. It was the bottle of vodka lying carelessly on the floor and the gold tray sitting on the bedside table, blue and pink pills scattered on top of it.  

 

“Cheryl,” Toni breathed out as she hurriedly placed the bowl of fruit next to the gold tray and sat down on the bed. The redhead couldn’t help but whimper as Toni gently cradled her face with both hands, boundaries be damned. The teary-eyed girl made eye contact with Toni while the her bodyguard stared intently into her pupils, trying to assess her current state.

 

She gingerly stroked Cheryl’s left cheek with her thumb before speaking. “Cher, honey? Please tell me, what have you had?”

 

Cheryl began to cry harder, overwhelmed by Toni’s gentleness and the genuine concern lacing her slightly panicked voice. “I-I...a l-little v-vodka. That’s i-it,” Cheryl whispered brokenly.

 

“Are you sure, sweety? Any drugs?” Toni desperately needed a verbal confirmation from the girl. She was fully aware of what mixing substances could do to a person, and she would swallow every damn pill on that tray before she let any harm come to the girl before her.

 

“I-I swear, T.T. I w-was g-going to b-but got too s-scared. I’m-I’m s-sorry I d-didn’t m-mean to worry y-you,” Cheryl sobbed.

 

“Oh, thank God” Toni released the breath she was holding. “Where did you get these pills, honey?”

 

Cheryl bit her lip, hesitating before answering. “Um...N-Nic’s o-office,” she weakly gestured towards a door in the corner of the room.

 

_So that’s where the bastard spends his time._

 

Toni subtly shook her head trying to clear it of distracting thoughts as she tried to stay focused on Cheryl. She gently tucked a strand of red hair behind Cheryl’s ear and waited, sensing the girl wanted to say something.

 

“T-Toni…”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I...I know things b-between us aren’t p-perfect, but c-can you h-hold me? P-Please, T.T.?” Cheryl whispered while looking at her bodyguard pleadingly. The request coupled with the way her brown eyes filled with tears broke Toni’s heart.

 

“Of course, Cher-bear. Absolutely.” Toni wasted no time in rounding the bed again and gently peeling back the comforter so she could slide in, thankful that she hadn’t changed out of her pajama t-shirt and sweatpants.

 

She slowly laid down next to Cheryl and held her arms open. The redhead wasted no time, quickly burying her head into Toni’s chest and wrapping her arm around Toni’s firm midsection. She let out a sigh of relief as she felt her bodyguard wrap her lean arms around her body, holding her tightly but also ever so gently. Toni tried not to focus on the feeling of Cheryl’s body, which was only covered by a thin silk nightgown, pressed so tightly against her’s. The girl’s emotional well-being was her number one priority.

 

Toni leaned her head down slightly and buried her nose in Cheryl’s red hair, inhaling the sweet scent of her cherry blossom shampoo. She placed a gentle kiss to the top of her head and felt the girl in her arms sigh, all tension leaving her body.

 

“Cher…” Toni began quietly, trying not to break the tranquility of the moment. She had a million burning questions on her mind that she was dying to ask, but she knew better than to push the fragile girl.

 

“If you want to talk, I’m here.”

 

At Toni’s words, Cheryl readjusted herself slightly so her face was buried in Toni’s neck. She felt safe there. She had craved revisiting the spot ever since the last time they got carried away in Toni's bed. The gently rhythm of Toni’s pulse below her lips calmed her immensely. What she was about to reveal wasn’t easy, but she felt she could do it with Toni here, holding her.

 

“It’s been a year…” Cheryl mumbled so quietly against Toni’s neck, the girl had to strain to hear her. “A year since...J.J. died....Well, the authorities believe it happened around today, but...there’s no way to know for sure.” At her words, Toni’s grip on the redhead tightened, hoping to anchor her.

 

“I’m so sorry, Cheryl,” Toni rasped.

 

Cheryl sighed tiredly, “It’s just...it’s hard, T.T,” Cheryl sniffled as tears quickly formed in her eyes again. She knew what Toni was wondering, and while she didn’t feel obligated to tell her, she felt comfortable around her, and wanted to finally be honest with someone, but not just anyone, with Toni in particular. She wanted Toni to _know_ her. The good, the bad. The dark and the ugly.

 

“The pills...I-I don’t know what I was thinking, I was j-just so s-sad and wanted t-to take the edge o-off. I’m s-sorry.”

 

Toni’s hand wove into the girl’s silky, red hair as she spoke, scratching lightly at the baby hairs near the base of her neck.

 

“It's alright, honey...was that...was that the first time you tried doing something like that?” Toni probed gently. Cheryl’s responding grip on her t-shirt was enough confirmation.

 

“Um...after it was revealed that my father was...the murderer, everything continued to fall apart. My mother was worse than ever, and I felt as if I was burdening all of my friends with my emotional baggage. It just...it simply became too much. One snowy afternoon….I went down to Sweetwater River...to see J.J. again…”

 

Toni continued to gently play with Cheryl’s hair as she spoke, but her jaw was clenched and her muscles tense as she tried desperately to listen to Cheryl’s story when all she wanted to do was hide the girl away forever and shield her from a world which had already treated her so poorly.

 

“I tried breaking through the ice, and failed at first. But then my friends, my dear friends, Archie and Veronica, were yelling my name from the river bank, begging me to return to safety. I suppose it’s a good thing I left that note in V’s locker that day, because next thing I knew I was plunging into the ice cold waters of Sweetwater River and...for a second it was peaceful...I almost _welcomed_ being taken away by the river...that is until...until I saw Jason, Toni. But not my J.J., no...It was a terrible vision of him- he had a bullet hole through his h-head and it was absolutely terrifying, but it jolted me out my stupor. I quickly swam to the surface, only to be met with ice. I remember quickly losing air...my vision beginning to blur, and thinking ‘this is it’....but then Archie, beautiful, strong Archie Andrews broke his hand punching through the ice. He pulled me out of the freezing river, and was able to resuscitate me…” Cheryl shook as a sob escaped her body. “He-he saved m-me, T.T., and I’m so-so thankful.”

 

Toni blinked, allowing a few tears to escape her eyes and run down the sides of her face as she stared at the ceiling. Her heart was utterly shattered for the girl in her arms, but she was also so fucking thankful, so grateful to whoever or whatever the fuck was out there for giving Cheryl a second chance. And grateful to Archie. She swore if she ever met the guy she would kiss his feet.

 

“Cher, thank you for telling me,” Toni’s voice cracked as she felt the redhead's tears on her neck. “I’m so happy you’re okay, honey, but please, listen to me…your feelings, Cher, your sadness and everything else that you feel inside of you - it’s all valid, okay? You need to understand that sadness is alright, and you're going to be sad...but what’s not alright is you going through things alone, sweety. So, please, if you...if you ever, _ever_ feel the way you did that day or this morning...come talk to me. Okay? I’m here for you, always.”

 

Cheryl cried harder into Toni’s neck as she processed her words. The girl was utterly too good, too pure for the mess that was her life.

 

“I’m s-sorry, T.T. I didn’t want to b-burden you. It’s just… for so long J.J. was the only light in the darkness that was my life...and then he died, and everything was dark again...until you…” Cheryl breathed as she held on to Toni for dear life, “...these past few weeks, it felt like you were disappearing, and I-I-”

 

Cheryl’s words died on her lips as she felt Toni gently lean down to press a soft kiss to her hairline. The kiss was chaste, but Cheryl could feel the emotion and pure adoration Toni was trying to convey with it. Toni pulled back after a few seconds and gingerly tilted Cheryl’s chin up with her left hand so that she was staring intently into dark brown orbs. “Cher, baby, I’m still here. I’m not going anywhere. You’ll never be alone again, I promise.”

 

Cheryl exhaled shakily. The girl before her truly amazed her more and more each day. She felt slightly overwhelmed by Toni’s words, but she could barely hear the voice in the back of her mind telling her that Toni was just being nice and that’s it. She knew that wasn’t the case. In the short time she knew the pink-haired girl, she understood that Toni never did anything without intent, and that when she spoke she did so with 100% genuineness. There were so many things she wanted to do to the girl holding her in that moment to show her how grateful she was for her presence in her life, but she settled on returning her head to the crook of her bodyguard’s neck and placing a sweet kiss against her pulse point.

 

\--

 

She couldn’t tell how much time had passed, but she wagered it may have been a couple of hours since she entered Cheryl’s bedroom. The girl had been wrapped in her arms sleeping soundly since. Usually Toni would find herself getting restless from being idle for so long, but she found that it was all rather peaceful. Having Cheryl snuggled against her, warm, gentle breaths hitting her neck and collarbone.

 

 _I could get used to this,_ thought Toni.

 

Her reverie was broken by the distinct feeling of a full bladder. Gently, she pulled away from Cheryl, who only stirred a little and sighed breathily before burrowing further into her pillow.

 

Regaining the feeling in her legs, she stood up slowly and rounded the bed to retrieve the gold tray littered with pills. Closing the en suite bathroom door behind her, she unceremoniously tilted the pills into the toilet and flushed them. It disturbed her that Cheryl had almost taken them this morning, but she understood where the girl was coming from. Other than her brother, she had been alone for most of her young life. Clearly, the girl was strong and resilient, but there were moments of sadness when everything had just become too much - and Toni could relate. The difference was that she had a support system to rely on whenever life dragged her down; Cheryl, on the other hand, didn’t really have that, and if Toni was being honest with herself, she knew she was going to be that for the redhead. Not out of pity or some sense of obligation, but because she knew that what she felt for Cheryl she had never felt before. It was almost like the adoration she had for her grandfather, Sweets, or Fangs, but more, like there was an additional layer Toni couldn’t quite describe. Thus, she knew she was a goner. The girl had her heart, and because of that she would do anything for her and be anything she needed.  

 

After finishing up, she washed her hands and crept quietly towards the bed before a thought entered her mind. She looked slightly to her left, staring at the door Cheryl mentioned was St. Clair’s office. Glancing back at Cheryl’s sleeping form, she sighed. She had been searching for something, _anything_ within the abnormally large mansion that could tell her something about St.Clair’s business. She had discreetly observed every nook and cranny, looking for a hidden door or clue which would indicate an office or study. Admittedly, she hadn’t noticed this particular door in the master suite when she was here her first night at the mansion. Though she couldn't really blame herself. She was very distracted that night and having an office attached to a master suite was unusual, to say the least.

 

 _Perhaps that’s why it’s here though. No one looking for St. Clair’s space would come to the master suite in a mansion he barely lived in._    

 

She figured she could snoop around the office for a few minutes, right? Cheryl seemed to be out cold, so the odds of her waking up and catching her were slim. Despite this, she had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach knowing she was sneaking around behind the redhead’s back while she slept peacefully. She had to do it though. One, it was her job. Two, the sooner St. Clair was apprehended by the Feds, the sooner she could come clean to Cheryl and hopefully be with her - that is, if the girl didn’t totally shun her after finding out about her deception.

 

She tiptoed towards the door, gingerly placing her hand on the knob and turning it slowly. Thankfully the door hinges were well oiled, so not a squeak was made as she pushed it open. Once it was open enough for her body to slide inside, she did so without shutting the door behind her. Looking around the office, it seemed normal enough. It was tastefully ornate with decor that complimented the dark, wooden furniture throughout. She slowly stepped towards the center of the office which was occupied by a large mahogany desk. Circling the desk, she took note of the items placed on top of it, which weren’t many. It was rather bare, actually. Just a few expensive pens neatly placed in a gold, parrot-shaped pen holder and a black marble ashtray. Toni stood behind the desk observing. She didn’t dare sit in the grand leather chair behind her. If St. Clair was like other narcos, he was extremely astute and would notice even the slightest thing out of place. She bent down slightly to try and open the main middle drawer and a couple of side drawers, each of which were locked, naturally. She needed something to pick the lock with. Sighing in frustration, she realized she had nothing on her person and couldn’t risk going to her room to retrieve a bobby pin and wake Cheryl up in the process. She searched around the top of the desk again for anything that might help her. She almost yelped in celebration when she noticed two paper clips sitting at the bottom of the pen holder. Hoping not to make too much of a ruckus, she quietly retrieved the paperclips and bent down to get to work on the small lock of the main center drawer. After what felt like hours - which was really only a couple minutes - she heard the satisfying sound of the lock clicking open. Pulling the drawer open slowly, it was full of small papers - receipts, Post-It notes, and matches. In the middle however, was a medium sized leather bound notebook. Pulling the notebook out, she gently flipped through the pages. At first glance it was clear that the book was less of a notebook and more of a ledger, with line item entries for what appeared to be a variety of transactions. Toni flipped through several more pages and came across transactions dated within the last few months. She sighed in frustration as she glanced over the entries. There was nothing outwardly conspicuous about them. Each entry included three columns comprised of a date, and two long numbers in separate columns. It looked like any old ledger. Flipping through a few more pages, she was about to place the ledger down and leave the office when something suddenly caught her eye. On each page there was at least one reoccurring number in the right-hand column.

 

_1001089235_

 

The number appeared many times throughout, but each time it did the number to the left of it was always different. Judging by the length of the numbers, Toni inferred that they must be bank account numbers. If so, this one particular account was receiving many transactions from a variety of different accounts - some of which had more numbers than the usual American bank account number. Following her gut, Toni figured she should at least have someone at the Bureau look into these transactions. She gently placed the ledger down and grabbed a post it note from the drawer making sure to not to move anything further out of place. Grabbing a pen, she uncapped it and hastily began jotting down the account numbers. She was able to write down six when she heard Cheryl stir in bed. While it was just the sound of her turning over and the comforter ruffling, Toni felt her fucking heart stop in her chest. Deciding it was best to no longer tempt fate, she placed everything back where had found it and closed the desk drawer. Thankfully, it only took her a minute to re-lock the drawer.

 

Shoving the paper clips and post it into the pocket of her sweatpants, she carefully slid out of the office and closed the door gently behind her, thanking the heavens that it made no noise again. Once the door was shut, she let out the breath she had been holding. That was bold as fuck, in retrospect. Toni couldn’t help it though, once she was onto something she got into this headspace that didn’t allow her any distractions, almost like tunnel vision. She chalked it up to her inherent skills and extensive training.

 

She stood in place awkwardly as she decided what to do next. She needed to get these numbers to someone at the Bureau. She thought about simply calling the office, but quickly voted against it since there was a very good chance St. Clair had the phone lines in the house tapped as a precautionary measure.

 

_Maybe I could take a quick trip on my bike there…_

 

No, that wasn’t going to work. Cheryl would definitely wake up at the sound of her motorcycle engine starting. Maybe she could just wake the girl up and tell her she had to run an errand, but there’s little chance Cheryl would let her go alone. Even more so, even if Toni was somehow able to convince her to let her go, the entire thing would be suspicious as hell since Toni was supposed to be by Cheryl’s side at all times. Plus, the girl was definitely not an idiot. She was tactful, intelligent, and sharp. If the redhead caught even a whiff that Toni was up to something, she wouldn’t rest until she figured out what it was.

 

 _Fuck me. How am I gonna do this...hold up -_        

 

It was at that precise moment that Toni remembered something. The thought came to her suddenly, almost as if it had been divine intervention itself. For the past couple of weeks, Toni had noticed an unmarked, black Ford sedan with tinted windows parked down the street from the mansion. If Cheryl noticed too, she hadn’t said anything to her bodyguard. Given the high-profile residents of the island, Toni figured the sedan’s occupants had good reason to be there, otherwise the cops would’ve come by to check it out already. Thus, she had good reason to suspect it was either St. Clair’s goons or the Bureau keeping an eye on her. Now that she finally took time to think about it more, she was 99% sure she knew who was in the car.

 

Sneakily but swiftly, she exited the master suite and entered her bedroom, hastily changing into a white tank top and black denim shorts. She slipped the post it into her back pocket and expertly placed her gun into the rear waistband of her shorts underneath her shirt in the 1% chance the sedan’s occupant wasn’t who she thought it was. She made sure not too make too much noise as she exited the mansion with her Nikes in hand, not daring to put them on until she was safely outside.

 

She made her way down the long driveway. Turning onto the quiet residential road she was met with the sight of that same black sedan in the same spot it’s been in for the past two weeks. If the vehicle’s driver was alarmed by her approach, they didn’t show it. Everything remained undisturbed, the only audible sounds being the rustle of palm branches in the wind and tropical birds chirping. She came to the passenger side door and knocked on the window. She heard the telltale sound of her door being unlocked and wasted no time entering the vehicle and closing the door behind her.

 

“Took you long enough.” Sweet Pea stated snarkily, signature smirk in place.

 

Toni couldn’t help the smile that overtook her features at the sight of her best friend and brother. “Excuse you, it’s hard work being an undercover agent.”

 

Sweet Pea scoffed, “Oh, psh yeah. I’m sure living in a huge ass house with a hot babe is hard work. Speaking of, ya gotta tell me. Did you fuck her ye- OUCH!” Sweet Pea yelled, clutching his arm in pain as Toni landed a somewhat too forceful punch to his bicep.

 

“Shut up, man! Don’t talk about her like that.”

 

“Okay, okay! I’m sorry, I was just playing around,” he apologized, still trying to soothe the ache in his sore arm.

 

Toni sighed, “I’m sorry too, I didn’t mean to hit you that hard…” she bit her lip as Sweet Pea watched her. She always hated how easily he could read her, and now was no exception. “You like her, don’t you?” he asked, not in a mocking tone, but in an inquisitive tone, as if he were putting the pieces together in his head already.

 

Toni nodded feebly. “I don’t know Sweets, she’s really got her hooks in me...she’s just...she’s sensational, honestly.”

 

He nodded in understanding, absorbing the new information. “Does she know about…?”

 

“No, of course not,” Toni replied quickly, “It would be too dangerous. She knows nothing about St. Clair’s business, so it's not like I can get info from her - not that I would anyways - plus, I’m not about to put her on the cartel’s chopping block in case they find out who I really am.”

 

He sighed and shook his head, “Shit, that’s complicated, Tiny.”

 

“Tell me about it,” she grumbled. “Anyways, how’d you manage to get assigned to this post?”

 

Sweet Pea smirked, his trademark cocky features overtaking his face “Please, it wasn’t that hard. Your guys needed a cop to stake out the house, ya know, keep an eye on things while you were in there in case anything went wrong, and I’m the best cop on the force so boom. Easy as pie.”

 

“Uh huuuhhh…” Toni smiled at him, knowing there was more to it than just that.

 

“Okay, so maybe I was a little annoying with my request. But can you blame me? I wasn’t about to let my sis go into the belly of the beast without me,” he nudged her playfully. Toni chuckled at his antics, “You’re a softy, you know that?”

 

Sweet Pea rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. So did you just come out here to play catch up or do you have something for me?”

 

“As a matter of fact I do.” She reached into her pocket and retrieved the Post-It note, handing it to her friend. “These transactions were listed in what I think is St. Clair’s ledger. I don’t know if they mean anything really, but this number,” Toni pointed to the reoccurring ten-digit number, “appeared a bunch of times next to other numbers that were all different, which leads me to believe these are bank transfers.”

 

Sweet Pea nodded as he followed along with Toni's reasoning. “Alright, yeah, that makes sense, Tiny. I’ll take this back to the Bureau office now and have them look into it,” he stated as he gently slipped the note into the pocket of his guayabera shirt.

 

“Thanks, Sweets. I should be heading back though. I don’t want Cheryl to wake up and wonder where I am.”

 

“Alright, c’mere then,” Sweet Pea leaned over the console and gave the pink-haired girl a bone crushing hug. Toni reciprocated the hug, though with less vigor, “You be careful, you hear?” Sweets asked as he released her.

 

“I’ll be fine, don’t worry. St. Clair is still off in Colombia.”

 

“Nah, not with him,” Sweet Pea smirked, “I mean with your girl. You’re playing a dangerous game, Topaz, but I got your back all the way.”

 

Toni sighed, eternally grateful for her friend. “Thanks,” she responded simply as she exited the sedan and made her way back towards the mansion.      

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i loved the Heathers Musical episode, sue me.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> whew, what a finale, right?! loved the choni content and all the twists. lots to think about!
> 
> here's another chapter. i'll have the next up soon, i promise. we've been slow burning for a bit but things are going to heat up and speed up come next chapter. it's gonna be a wild ride, tbh.
> 
> pls leave a comment and let me know your thoughts!

“You are clinically insane if you think I’m getting on that death trap, T.T.”

 

Toni sighed, looking up at the redhead as she arched a challenging eyebrow at the shorter girl. “Cheryl, I promise you’ll be safe. I’ve been riding my entire life, and I think you’ll actually enjoy yourself.”

 

Cheryl rolled her eyes. If she wasn’t so genuinely afraid of riding Toni’s motorcycle, she would have found the entire predicament quite amusing. It’s not everyday you have an insanely gorgeous, badass girl begging you to ride her bike - and Cheryl would be lying if she said her resolve wasn’t dwindling the more Toni looked at her softly in _that way_ she knew would make the redhead weak.

 

After her and Toni’s emotional moment yesterday morning, the last thing she remembered was falling asleep in Toni’s warm embrace. The next thing she knew she was being woken up by the soft sound of Toni’s raspy voice telling her she had ordered Cheryl’s favorite pizza for dinner and to come downstairs when she was ready. Cheryl nodded sleepily and stretched her limbs feeling them crack and pop from lack of use. She glanced outside and noticed that the sun had gone down, the twilight sky fading into black. Sleeping all day was not the norm for her - even on her worst days - and usually she’d be upset with herself, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care really. Toni was so patient and kind with her, and not just this morning, but always. While they hadn’t talked about their situation, Cheryl felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Telling Toni part of her truth was cathartic, and she was so thankful the pink haired girl hadn’t pushed her away in that moment. She was just being Toni. The ever patient, genuine, kind Toni Topaz she had grown to care about so immensely.

 

After freshening up, she slipped on her light blue robe with the floral pattern and descended the staircase. Stepping out onto the veranda, the sight before her made her heart skip a beat. On the large wooden table was a pizza box from Cheryl’s absolute favorite pizza spot in South Beach, as well as a large bowl of garden salad, two plates, napkins with silverware properly placed atop, and Toni with her tongue caught between perfect, white teeth as she tried in vain to open a bottle of Malbec. It was clear from her furrowed eyebrows and fumbling around that she wasn’t a frequent wine drinker. She had yet to notice Cheryl in the doorway, and she probably wouldn’t have if Cheryl didn’t let out the most heavenly giggle as Toni dropped the wine opener in frustration with a growl.

 

“Cher! Jesus, I didn’t see you.” Toni clutched her heart dramatically, “Umm- please have a seat.” She stated in an uncharacteristically formal manner.

 

Cheryl couldn’t help but giggle a bit more at her flustered state. She approached her seat and was about to sit when Toni suddenly yelped.

 

“Wait!”

 

“Toni, what-”

 

Toni quickly approached the seat and straightened up as she pulled the chair out for Cheryl. The redhead’s eyebrows raised to her hairline, but she bit her tongue and sat down gracefully as Toni pushed the chair in for her.

 

“Merci, T.T. And they say chivalry is dead.” Cheryl teased and smirked up at Toni who had rounded the table to take her own seat. Toni cleared her throat nervously. Cheryl wasn’t sure what was up with the usually cool and collected biker, but whatever it was it was most amusing.

 

“You’re welcome…” Toni glanced around the table as she sat. “Um, so as you can see we have pizza from that place you like with the veggies and healthy, fake cheese. Oh and some salad too,” Toni stated, clearly satisfied with herself. “Oh! And uh, this red wine...so yeah…” Toni hesitated, and Cheryl had to try her hardest to contain her laughter as the pink haired girl eyed the wine bottle with an almost murderous glare. In all honesty, Cheryl would have been more than happy to poke fun at Toni further and wait for her to finally admit she couldn’t open the wine bottle, but the girl was clearly nervous about something, so Cheryl decided to put her out of her misery.

 

“Thank you, Toni. This all looks spectacular. And don’t worry,” Cheryl reached for the bottle and wine opener, “I’ll open the wine.” Toni sighed in relief, her cheeks reddening slightly, “Thanks,” she grumbled, “I’m not much of a wine drinker,” she scratched the back of her neck nervously, “...but uh...I saw you drinking this one a couple times so I thought it was a safe choice.”

 

“Great choice, actually. It’s one of my absolute favorites,” Cheryl responded cheerfully as she skillfully pulled the cork out of the bottle. She poured a decent amount of wine into her glass and reached over to pour some in Toni’s before stopping herself.

 

“Wait, do you want some beer instead, Toni? I think we have some Budweiser in the fridge,” Cheryl began to rise from her seat but Toni stopped her with a gentle hand on her forearm.

 

“It’s okay, Cher, but thanks anyways. You like this wine a lot, so I want to try it.” Toni smiled softly and Cheryl’s teeth sunk into her bottom lip as she sat back down. Never in her life had anyone wanted to do something just because she liked it. Toni really made her feel like a giddy school girl sometimes.

 

“Superb, mon cheri. It’s important to be open minded,” she poured a healthy amount of the blood red liquid into Toni’s wine glass, “This particular bottle is from Mendoza, Argentina,” Cheryl stated, in perfect Spanish, “The wine from this vineyard is just divine. Often I’ve dreamt of visiting the country just to pay a visit to the artisans who harvest it. I hope you like it,” she stated eagerly, watching as Toni gingerly lifted the glass to her lips and took a generous sip.

 

Cheryl watched on with eager eyes, waiting for Toni’s opinion with bated breath. All that could be heard were the soft sounds of the ocean and the rustling of palm trees in the warm, August wind. After several more seconds, Toni broke the silence.

 

“It’s definitely no Bud,” Cheryl rolled her eyes, “but I like it! It’s like, a little spicy, which I’m into. You’ve got good taste, bombshell.” Toni raised her glass towards Cheryl and she raised her’s to clink against Toni’s as a wide smile broke out across her face. She sipped her wine, welcoming the warm feeling in her body as the alcohol made its way to settle in her stomach. The next few moments were rather peaceful as the two women helped themselves to food and ate in comfortable silence. Cheryl could feel that there was something on Toni’s mind, something she wanted to talk to her about. What that something was she had no idea. She glanced up at Toni through her eyelashes and noticed that the girl looked deep in thought as she chewed on her slice of pizza. It amazed her that she could still look so gorgeous even while completely zoned out. As she continued to watch her bodyguard, she felt a warm sensation overtake her body, knowing it wasn’t just from the wine. In the short time they had known each other, Toni had been there for Cheryl through so much. Usually she would feel embarrassed if someone saw her cry, but after this morning Cheryl felt nothing but thankful for the girl before her. Toni never judged her, nor did she ever disregard Cheryl’s feelings or tell her to “get over it” as her mother often did whenever she was upset. Toni was gentle and seemed to genuinely care - both of which were foreign concepts to Cheryl having suffered through years of neglect under her parents’ roof. Sure, their relationship was still a bit confusing, but something had shifted between them this morning. Toni’s words still rang clear in Cheryl’s mind, her voice laced with nothing pure devotion.

 

_“You’ll never be alone again, I promise.”_

 

“Toni..” Cheryl whispered and she looked up at her as pink lips wrapped around a cherry tomato. Cheryl licked her lips subconsciously. She’d give anything to be that tomato right now.

 

_Focus._

 

Clearing her throat, she looked into Toni’s eyes, “About earlier...thank you for taking care of me. You really didn’t have to do that, and I’m so sorr-”

 

“Cher,” Toni interrupted firmly and Cheryl didn’t mind. She swore she could feel a shiver run up her spine whenever Toni used that tone of voice. “Don’t you dare say you’re sorry again. Like I told you this morning, and I’ll keep telling you until you believe me, your feelings are valid and you don’t have to deal with them alone anymore. I’m right here, and I’ll be here for as long as you’ll have me,” she smiled sincerely and took a sip of her wine.

 

Cheryl sighed and closed her eyes for a brief moment, willing the unshed tear to remain at bay as she reopened them. “Alright, Toni. I believe you, I do...it’s just...I’m not accustomed to someone caring for me...I’m still getting used to it, to be honest,” she bit her bottom lip, searching Toni’s eyes for any regret. She knew she was a handful, boy did she know that, and she wouldn’t blame the biker for leaving if she wanted to. Even Veronica, her best friend, needed periodic breaks from Cheryl when her emotional turmoil became too much.

 

“Of course,” Toni responded simply, as if someone had asked her to pass the salt. “You deserve to be taken care of, Cheryl...and so much more.”

 

Cheryl inhaled through her nose and blinked a couple of times, willing the burning in her eyes to go away. She didn’t want to cry again, especially not now with Toni being so soft with her, buying her her favorite pizza and picking out her favorite wine.

 

Toni sensed that the redhead must be feeling a bit overwhelmed, and decided now was as good a time as any to shoot her shot. Between seeing Sweet Pea and the pizza arriving several hours later, Toni had done a lot of thinking. She decided it was time to woman up and be the person Cheryl needed her to be. Sure, the impending threat of St. Clair or something going wrong made Toni’s stomach twist with dread, but she figured that shouldn’t stop her from treating the girl the way she deserved to be treated with cute dates, sweet gestures - the whole nine yards. Admittedly though, Toni wasn’t really a pro in the dating department, probably because she didn’t date - she slept around. Regardless, she was determined to be different for Cheryl because Cheryl was _different_ . She wasn’t just some girl she could see herself fucking and never contacting again. No, when Toni looked at Cheryl she saw a future. She saw herself waking up every morning to a pale back with fiery red hair strewn about. She saw a nice, but modest house with a garden she’d pick flowers from for Cheryl. She saw herself going on joy rides on her bike along the coast, with Cheryl’s soft hands firmly wrapped around her stomach and her chest pressed tightly against her leather clad back. She saw everything with her, and was prepared to give her the world. She knew she didn’t make the most money, and it made her anxious to think that she couldn’t give the girl the luxurious lifestyle she was so used to, but she had a steady government job and a heart of gold that was Cheryl’s for the taking if she so desired. Even though their current situation was a bit fucked up, that didn’t mean she couldn’t be the reason Cheryl smiled everyday. She had stupidly spent the last month keeping the redhead at arm’s length, and for what? It only caused them both pain, and Toni was determined to make up for what she considered to be too much precious time lost. That’s what prompted her to head back outside before the pizza arrived to talk to Sweet Pea again in the hopes that he would ask Fangs to help execute her plan, which made him chuckle and peer at her with an understanding gaze, _“Don’t you worry, Tiny. We got you.”_

 

Toni was broken out of her thoughts by the sound of Cheryl humming gently as she finished her glass of wine.

 

“How are you feeling?” she inquired gently. Cheryl looked up at her through glassy eyes as her lips lifted into a small smile.

 

“I’m alright. Much better than this morning,” she sighed longingly.

 

“Good...” Toni hesitated, unsure as to why she was so nervous to propose her plan to Cheryl. She had only rehearsed her delivery a million times in her head and now she was at a loss for words.

 

_Fuck the plan, Topaz. This isn’t a middle school recital of Romeo and Juliet. You don’t need to memorize lines, just be a normal human and ask her!_

 

“Well, uh,” she cleared her throat nervously, gathering her courage “...I was thinking...would you want to go out tomorrow? Like...together?”

 

Cheryl’s expression was unreadable. Before she could form a response, Toni was scrambling. “It’s okay if you don’t want to, I just think it’d be nice to get out, and I have some ideas for things we could do that I think you might like.” Toni rushed out, watching Cheryl’s face intently with hopeful eyes. The redhead observed the biker for a moment and arched an eyebrow, clearly intrigued.

 

“Are you asking me out?” Cheryl quipped, a smile betraying her tone.

 

“Um- uh..yeah- I mean, if you want- but it doesn’t have to be a date- we can just hang out. I-”

 

Cheryl let out the most beautiful giggle as Toni squirmed in her seat.

 

“Oh my goodness, T.T. You’re too easy. It would be a pleasure to spend the day with you out on the town. No need to lose your shirt over it,” Cheryl teased and winked playfully.

 

Cheryl’s quick acceptance of her invitation and the way her tone dipped several octaves had Toni feeling like a mess. She cleared her throat and took a sip of her own wine, hoping to calm her nerves and diminish the blush that was breaking out across her face.

 

“Cool, good. Okay.”

 

Cheryl couldn’t help but laugh more at the gang member who was making a complete and utter fool of herself with no end in sight. The rest of the night was much of the same, Toni trying to play it cool and Cheryl disarming her every chance she could. However, after having finished most of the bottle, Cheryl felt exhausted, the day’s emotional rollercoaster having caught up to her finally. They bid each other goodnight, retreating to their separate rooms, but not before Toni told Cheryl she would need a bikini and leather jacket for their _date_.

 

And here they were. Toni straddling her motorcycle, helmet in hand as Cheryl stared down at her with an almost incredulous look adorning her features.

 

She had to admit, Toni looked _good_. She was sporting a white and blue crop top which stopped short of her pierced belly button, ripped black shorts, black boots, and her leather Serpent jacket. Cheryl originally thought that site of the jacket or any Serpents memorabilia would make her bristle, but it actually had the opposite effect. She wasn’t quite sure if the heat enveloping her was from the bright Florida sun above or the leather-clad girl before her. She shook her head slightly, bringing herself back to the present. She didn’t miss the way Toni looked her up and down when she thought she was distracted. Who could blame her though? Cheryl’s outfit of choice - red leather jacket, red bikini, short, high-waisted denim shorts, heels - wasn’t unintentional.

 

“I believe a certain someone recently told me that it’s important to have an open mind,” Toni stated, looking at Cheryl pointedly as she referenced their conversation from the night before.

 

Cheryl scoffed. “I told you to try wine, Cha-Cha. Not to mount a missile on wheels.”

 

Toni chuckled lightly and Cheryl looked at her as if she had grown two heads. “Look, Cher,” Toni knew the nickname had an effect on the taller girl, “I wouldn’t ask you to do anything I thought you wouldn’t enjoy. As a matter of fact, I think you’ll really like this. It’s...what’s the word?” Toni pondered in faux fashion for a moment, tapping her chin with her finger comically, “Oh, fucking awesome. Now, get up here,” she patted the passenger seat behind her.

 

Cheryl bit her bottom lip. She’d be lying if she said she wasn’t curious. But, more importantly, the idea of being that close to Toni while she navigated them through the streets of Miami made the coil in her stomach tighten.

 

“Fine, Topaz,” Toni beamed, about to fist bump before Cheryl cut her off, “Ah! Not quite time for your victory dance yet. First, I need to see some credentials.”

 

“Like, what? My motorcycle license?”

 

“That’s a good start. Hand it over,” Cheryl demanded, holding out her perfectly manicured hand and looking at the biker expectantly.

 

Toni sighed as she reached into her back pocket for her wallet. “Ya know, you’re lucky you’re adorable.” A deep blush overtook Cheryl’s cheeks at her comment as she held out her motorcycle license for the girl to take. Usually Toni wouldn’t just provide all her personal information to someone while undercover, but she knew she had nothing to worry about with Cheryl.

 

She took the license out of Toni’s hand, their fingers brushing lightly, as she tried to fight down the blush threatening to overtake the rest of her face. She held the small plastic card up, reading its contents. Arching an eyebrow, she noticed it was a Riverdale license, and the address was for some part of the South Side. But that’s not what caught her attention the most.

 

“Antoinette, hm?” Cheryl inquired, intrigued by this new information. Toni scratched the back of her neck absentmindedly.

 

“Yeah, that’s me. Named after my grandmother on my dad’s side. It’s French or something.”

 

“Indeed it is. It’s also beautiful. It certainly fits you,” Cheryl stated, smiling down at the brunette. She handed the license back to the her, smirking. “I also couldn’t help but notice you’re age, T.T. If my math is correct, which it is, you are 26. Which makes sense in terms of your maturity, but I must say you are aging very well.”

 

It was Toni’s turn to roll her eyes.

 

“I also didn’t peg you for a cougar.”

 

Toni’s eyes widened comically.

 

“Wh- what?! What do you mean?”

 

Cheryl smiled enjoying teasing her bodyguard, clearly unaffected by their age difference. “I mean that I’m currently being courted by a woman six years my senior. Not that I mind.” Cheryl smirked, cherry red lips raising.

 

“You’re only 20?!” Toni sputtered. Cheryl cocked her head to the side, “Is there an issue? I’ll have you know I’ll be 21 in December.” Toni tucked that useful piece of information into her back pocket for use at a later date.

 

“No, I mean- no issue at all except for the fact I’ve been giving you alcohol when you’re not even 21-.”

 

“Oh, please, Topaz. What are you a cop? Besides it’s 1983, underage drinking hasn’t been taboo for quite some time.”

 

At the sound of Cheryl saying the word “cop,” Toni decided now was as a good a time as any to change the subject. She sighed, “Alright, bombshell, are you gonna ride with me or not?”

 

“Fine,” she acquiesced as she took Toni’s helmet and placed it on top of her head. “I’ll ride you- I mean ride with you.” Cheryl corrected innocently with a sweet smile. Toni swallowed thickly, ignoring the redhead’s obviously purposeful slip up.

 

“Watch it, Red.” Toni jabbed playfully, smiling as she noticed Cheryl struggling to fasten the helmet’s buckle. “Here, let me.” She stood from her bike, fastening the buckle against Cheryl’s chin gently but firmly. Cheryl’s breath hitched in her throat as she felt Toni’s soft and skillful fingers brush against her skin.

 

“Alright, you’re all set,” she mounted her bike once more, starting it with one kick perfectly. The loud roar of the engine startled Cheryl a bit, but it also excited her more than anything. Toni looked up at her with an arched eyebrow and smirk gracing her full pink lips, and Cheryl could’ve sworn the world stopped spinning at the moment. It was quite possibly the hottest thing she had ever seen. She really wondered in that moment if the pink-haired girl could be any more perfect-

 

“You’re turn, babe,” Toni rasped above the idling engine and held her hand out for Cheryl to take, which she did so without hesitance. She could feel the electricity between them just from the term of endearment and skin-on-skin contact. She gently mounted the bike, making sure to avoid any of the pipes. Toni craned her neck so Cheryl could hear her above the motor, “Put your legs on the bars there, yeah - just like that - and hold on to me tightly.”

 

Cheryl gulped and scooted forward on the bike, gingerly placing her hands on Toni’s hips. She was...flustered, to say the least.

 

Toni craned her neck to the side once again so Cheryl could hear her. “Cher, I need you to really hold on to me. I promise, I don’t bite...unless you want me to,” she winked at the redhead over her shoulder and faced forward once again. Cheryl’s throat went dry at the comment. She knew the biker was just getting her back for her earlier slip. She tried to ignore the throbbing between her legs as she scooted closer to her, leaving no space between them, and placed her hands against a toned, caramel stomach. She could have sworn she felt Toni’s abs tremble under her touch.

 

 _This is absurd. Who wears a crop top to drive a motorcycle, for God’s sake._   

 

“That’s more like it,” Toni mumbled, trying to ignore the heat spreading throughout her body at Cheryl’s touch. It had been a _while_ since she had sex, and even though her attraction to Cheryl went far beyond just physical, she was only human and she currently had the Cheryl Bombshell straddling her motorcycle and holding on to her.

 

Feeling as if she finally had the upper hand in their struggle for flirty dominance, Cheryl lightly scratched her manicured red nails against Toni’s stomach, causing the girl to inhale through her nose sharply. She leaned back into the redhead and tilted her head up, “Think you can control yourself?” Toni husked, lips brushing lightly against Cheryl’s jaw. Toni was clearly in control now, and her head was fucking spinning, the feel of Toni’s lips and warm breath against her face becoming too much.

 

“Y-yes. I c-can...”

 

“Good!” Toni chirped, facing forward quickly and adjusting herself into the proper riding position. Cheryl tried to breathe deeply and control her erratic heartbeat.

 

“Ready?!” Toni yelled as she revved the motorcycle, the engine roaring loudly. In response, Cheryl tightened her hold on Toni and pressed her front into her back.

 

“Ready as I’ll ever be, Cha-Cha.”

 

And with that, Toni slowly exited the driveway, keeping the bike at a low 15 miles per hour as they road toward the island’s private entrance. She threw a sly wink as they passed the black sedan, only imagining the shit-eating grin on Sweet Pea’s face seeing the redhead on the back of her Harley. Upon reaching the the red light which led out onto the main bridge connecting South Beach to the mainland, Toni brought the bike to a slow stop.

 

“You still with me, bombshell?” Toni spoke above the engine.

 

“Y-yes,” she stuttered out, “Just go slow, okay?”

 

“Of course,” Toni responded. She turned her head and her eyes softened at the skeptical expression on her passenger’s face. “Hey, are you alright?”

 

Cheryl sighed shakily, “Yes...I’m just a little nervous...”

 

Toni smiled gently and placed her hand on top of the pale ones on her stomach, “That’s okay. I was nervous the first time my grandpa took me out too. When I told him as much he just said ‘I’d never let anything bad happen to you, little wolf.’” A breathy laugh escaped Cheryl as she imagined a tiny Toni Topaz on the back of a large motorcycle.

 

“So now I’m telling you the same. I’d never let anything happen to you, Cher. Do you believe me when I say that?” Toni searched her eyes imploringly, hoping to convey the sincerity and double meaning behind her words. Cheryl starred back into brown pools and all she saw was devotion. Sometimes she was really floored by the way Toni was able to say so much just with her eyes. She squeezed the girl gently in reply.

 

“I do, Toni. I trust you,” Cheryl breathed, and a million dollar smile broke out across Toni’s face. It was there and then that Cheryl decided it would be her life’s mission to be the reason that smile appeared on the biker’s gorgeous face.

 

“In that case, hold on tight.”

 

They went slow at first, cruising towards the mainland at a glacial 30 miles per hour. It was a Tuesday morning after rush hour thankfully, so no cars were whizzing past them on the bridge. Cheryl quickly began to relax against Toni, taking the time to truly bask in the freedom that accompanied riding the motorcycle. As her crimson hair whipped behind and the morning sun warmed her skin, a wave of contentment washed over her. She honestly couldn’t remember the last time she had felt this happy and carefree, and it amazed her that such a simple thing like riding a motorcycle could be the cause of it. Well, it wasn’t just the motorcycle, but really the bike’s owner was the reason for her cheery mood.  Never in a million years did she think she’d be in the middle of Miami on the back of a Harley holding on to a beautiful, rebellious girl who cared about her.

 

Toni smiled and chuckled as Cheryl giggled and hugged her tighter. “Faster, T.T.!” she yelled.

 

“Your wish is my command!” Toni replied as she accelerated, the loud roar of the engine sending a chill up Cheryl’s spine.     

 

Toni wove through the tall buildings of downtown Miami, keeping a speed that was barely legal. She couldn’t care less if she was pulled over, not with Cheryl giggling behind her and squeezing her tighter ever so often. After about 15 minutes, they came to a slow stop on the side of an empty road in a part of town Cheryl’s never been to. The area was just outside of downtown, and rather than tall buildings it was comprised of quaint storefronts and Cuban flags scattered about.

 

Toni shut the engine off and kicked down the kickstand. She turned her body and was met with the site of Cheryl beaming from ear to ear, hair messy, eyes sparkling.

 

“That was absolutely exhilarating, Toni!” Cheryl squeezed one last time before releasing her grip on the pink-haired girl to clap her hands excitedly. Toni smiled at the redhead’s antics, loving every second of Cheryl’s carefree and silly attitude.

 

“I love that you enjoyed it,” she chuckled. “Here, let me get this helmet off of you.” Toni reached up and unbuckled the helmet. Cheryl removed it and quickly shook out her long locks, hoping to rid herself of any potential helmet hair. Once she was done, she met Toni’s gaze with a breathless smile. “Thank you for convincing me to go with you. It was probably one of the best things I’ve ever experienced.”

 

Toni grinned, emotion flooding her chest at the pure happiness radiating off of Cheryl. She made the choice in that moment to do everything in her power to make sure the younger girl felt this kind of joy everyday. She cleared her throat, willing herself to not get too consumed by the sentimentality coursing through her.

 

“Well then, just wait till you try the guava pastry I’m about to buy you.” Toni dismounted the motorcycle first, and gingerly took Cheryl’s hands to help her off. “Ya know, I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen someone wear heels to ride a bike.”

 

“I’m one of a kind, Cha-Cha. I thought you figured that out by now,” Cheryl stated nonchalantly as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. She turned to Toni, smirking at the dumbfounded look on her face, “Now tell me, where are we?”

 

Toni shook her head. This girl really was something else. “We, Miss Blossom, are in the neighborhood affectionately known as Little Havana, but more specifically we’re on Calle Ocho. A hub for all things Cuban culture. And where there’s Cubans,” she gestured around her, “There’s amazing food.” They began walking in the direction of a small bakery called La Esquina. Toni desperately wanted to hold Cheryl’s hand, but she wasn’t sure how comfortable the girl would be with that public display of affection. Also, while it was the 80s and it was Miami, she didn’t want to draw any unwanted attention towards them. You never knew who could be watching.

 

Upon entering La Esquina, they were instantly met with the sweet smell of sugary espresso and baked bread, along with the sweet island sounds of Buena Vista Social Club playing over the old stereo in the corner. Taking a seat at the bar, a rotund, elderly woman with dark curly hair greeted Toni,  “ _Ay,_ _mijita! Bienvenido_ , welcome welcome! I haven’t seen you in so long. You look so skinny. _Dime_ , you need to eat, what do you want?” the woman exclaimed in a thick, Spanish accent.

 

Toni laughed heartily, “ _Hola_ , Maria. I know it’s been so long. I thought I’d come by and show my friend Cheryl here how good your _pastelitos de guayaba_ are.” The woman’s eyes shifted from Toni to Cheryl. She looked at her with a questioning gaze, as if she was trying to decipher her intentions with Toni. The woman clearly loved her bodyguard, and Cheryl wanted to make a good impression on anyone Toni liked.

 

“ _Mucho gusto_ , Maria,” Cheryl stated politely with a sweet smile, “ _Me encanta su panadería_.”

 

At her words, a huge grin broke out across Maria’s wrinkled face. “ _Ay, que bella_ !” she exclaimed as she grabbed Cheryl’s hand and kissed it. “Toni, I love this girl. Pretty and speaks Spanish? _Dios mio_ ! You be nice to her while I get you your _pastelitos_ ,” she scolded as she walked into the kitchen.

 

Toni chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief as she turned to Cheryl, “I can’t believe you were able to turn Maria against me so quickly. Who’s side are you on anyway?”

 

“What can I say, I’m irresistible,” she shrugged, smiling at her companion.    

 

“You have no idea, bombshell,” Toni remarked, satisfied by the slight reddening of Cheryl’s cheeks.  

 

“Anywho,” Cheryl changed the subject, “do you come here often?”

 

“Mmm, yeah I used to come here pretty often,” Toni bit her lip, choosing her words carefully. She promised herself that she would be honest with the redhead in any way she could, and she fully intended to follow through with that promise. “I actually lived pretty close to here, before I became your bodyguard.”

 

“Really? By yourself, or with others?” Cheryl inquired eagerly. Toni Topaz was a true mystery. The girl had yet to really share many details about her life and Cheryl was dying to know more about her. She felt as if the pink-haired biker knew so much about her, and yet she still didn’t know much about her.

 

“With two of my best friends, actually. Sweet Pea and Fangs.”

 

Cheryl couldn’t contain the burst of laughter that escaped her. “I’m sorry, Toni,” she giggled, covering her mouth in a feeble attempt to control her laughter, “Who?!”

 

Toni giggled along with her, relishing in the sight of a happy Cheryl. “I know, I know. Weird, right? But those are their names. I’ve known them since I was a kid in Riverdale. We lived in the trailer park together, went to South Side High together, we were even in the Serpents together too. They even let me crash at their trailers when my uncle was being a complete dick, “Toni sighed angrily at the memory, “once he found out I liked girls, he pretty much never let me stay with him. It was only when he’d go out of town that I’d be able to sneak into his trailer for a few nights. The guy died a few years ago from liver failure...good riddance honestly,” she bit her lip, realizing she had been rambling, “So yeah, Sweets, Fangs, and my grandpa are the only real family I have. That’s probably a lot more info than you were expecting, though,” she blushed at her overshare.

 

Cheryl was completely enraptured by Toni’s retelling of her life. She couldn’t imagine living like that, not knowing where she was going to stay from week to week. Sure, her parents were vile, and Thornhill wasn’t exactly what she would call a home, but she always had more than she needed. Maids, butlers, chefs, egyptian sheets, designer clothes, beds which were far too big for one girl. She wished in that moment that her and Toni grew up together, or at least met in high school. Her life, and that of the Serpent, would have been so different. Her heart warmed at the thought of a rule-breaking, teenage Toni Topaz climbing the trellis outside of her bedroom window at Thornhill to stay the night. It made her sad that she never had the opportunity to experience the excitement that came with teenage love. Sure, Heather was special, but they certainly weren’t in love, and Penelope terminated any possibility of a relationship forming between them. Maybe one day she’d be able to fulfil her teenage dreams with Toni. Date nights at the Bijou, milkshakes and fries at Pop’s-

 

“Earth to Cher,” Toni waved her hand in front of the redhead, whose eyes snapped to the girl before her. “Sorry,” she shook her head lightly, “I got lost in my thoughts.”

 

Maria emerged from the kitchen then, with two guava pastries in hand, “ _Buen provecho!_ ” she winked at Cheryl as she placed the larger pastry in front of her.

 

“Hey! How come mine’s so small?!” Toni argued jokingly. Maria gave her a stern look, hands on her hips, “If you bring her back here then maybe I’ll think about giving you a bigger _pastelito_ next time,” she stated bluntly and walked away to attend to another patron. Cheryl giggled at Toni’s disgruntled expression as she bit into her guava pastry. An involuntary moan escaped her lips at the taste. The sweet tang of the guava fruit combined with the flakey pastry dough made for a heavenly combination.

 

“Oh my God,” she mumbled to no one in particular, “This is divine,” she took another large bite. Toni smiled, chewing on her own pastry, “I’m glad you like it. These really are the best pastries in all of Miami.”

 

They ate together in comfortable silence, the sounds of the busy bakery surrounding them. After finishing her food and wiping her hands and mouth on a napkin, taking care not to smudge her lipstick, she turned towards her companion with an inquisitive look, “That was amazing, T.T. You must bring all your dates here.” Toni shrugged, biting her lip in thought, again gauging how honest she should be.

 

_Remember, it’s okay to tell her everything that doesn’t have to do with your real job._

 

“Actually...you’re the first girl I’ve ever taken out on a date,” Cheryl’s perfectly shaped eyebrows lifted to her hairline. She simply couldn’t believe it.

 

“Really? But you’re gorgeous, and not to mention quite the smooth talker,” Cheryl flirted lightly, “How is that even possible?”

 

“Ah, thanks,” Toni wiped her hands on her shorts, she always felt a little off kilter when receiving compliments, especially from someone as ethereal as Cheryl. “Um...well...to be honest, I’ve never been a dater. Like I would just...hook up with women. This is actually my first actual date. So, I’m kind of out of my element here. And, seriously, if you’re not having fun please let me know, I won’t be mad. I’m sure you’re used to being taken out to the finest, five star restaurants and-”

 

“T.T.,” she reached out and placed her hand on Toni’s. She could feel the difference in the texture of their hands. Toni’s were rougher, as if she had swung too many bats and punched too many walls, but simultaneously very feminine. She inhaled shakily at the contact, she adored how different Toni was from her. “I’m having an amazing time. This is actually my first date too.”  

 

Toni’s eyes looked up, meeting the dark pools staring back at her. She couldn’t help it when her eyes involuntarily glanced at the redhead’s pillowy lips, who in turn inhaled sharply through her nose.

 

“I’m glad you’re having a good time, Cher. I really am,” she rasped out, “But our date’s far from over. Are you ready to go?”

 

“I am. Let’s ride!”


End file.
